Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bahawalpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bahawalpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $337 in Bahawalpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $525 in Bahawalpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $712 in Bahawalpur.

Living in Phuket is roughly 266% more expensive than Bahawalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Bahawalpur 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.73 PKR 481

167.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$9.01 PKR 2,511

419.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.50 PKR 977

152.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 PKR 399

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 PKR 1,317

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.28 PKR 357

134.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.30 PKR 85.0

146.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.22 PKR 61.3

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.48 PKR 133

370.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.57 PKR 160

222.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.29 PKR 360

73.64%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.06 PKR 296

118.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.31 PKR 2,038

169.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.65 PKR 738

37.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.14 PKR 876

317.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.04 PKR 289

225.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.59 PKR 164

177.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.26 PKR 73.1

826.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.49 PKR 137

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.37 PKR 104

321.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.55 PKR 154

172.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.63 PKR 174

61.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.30 PKR 82.9

63.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.40 PKR 391

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 PKR 207

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 1,000

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.81 PKR 505

145.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.17 PKR 46.53

723.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$1.73 PKR 483

563.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.07 PKR 298

191.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.16 PKR 45.45

525.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$1.08 PKR 300

1204.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.98 PKR 273

37.76%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

28.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

58.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$125 ฿4,087

$58.5 PKR 16.3K

113.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 ฿444

$3.89 PKR 1,084

248.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$13.04 PKR 3,636

42.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$12.57 PKR 3,505

389.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$8.08 PKR 2,253

108.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.06 PKR 575

346.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$698 ฿22.8K

$26.69 PKR 7,441

2516.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$669 PKR 186.4K

2232.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$16.36 PKR 4,561

253.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$21.99 PKR 6,131

60.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$61.2 PKR 17.1K

84.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$25.44 PKR 7,091

239.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$106 PKR 29.6K

479.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$53.6 PKR 14.9K

731.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$227 PKR 63.2K

802.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$132 PKR 36.7K

1034.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$3,503 PKR 976.6K

7.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$763 PKR 212.7K

247.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$164 PKR 45.8K

218.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-70.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bahawalpur: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $106 in Bahawalpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 219% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Bahawalpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $85.0 per month, with Bahawalpur cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Bahawalpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bahawalpur wins on cost – living expenses run 266% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bahawalpur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Phuket pays 219% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $106 in Bahawalpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $337 in Bahawalpur – a 266% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bahawalpur runs roughly 564% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $337 in Bahawalpur versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bahawalpur but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bahawalpur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bahawalpur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $337 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bahawalpur hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bahawalpur are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bahawalpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 266% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.