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 $297 in Bahawalpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $517 in Bahawalpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $737 in Bahawalpur.

Living in Phuket is roughly 315% more expensive than in Bahawalpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Bahawalpur 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.83 PKR 508

140.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$7.43 PKR 2,059

334.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.48 PKR 1,241

99.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PKR 714

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 PKR 586

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.50 PKR 415

93.33%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.31 PKR 85.8

183.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.18 PKR 48.90

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.60 PKR 167

211.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.44 PKR 121

234.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.09 PKR 302

42.20%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$0.98 PKR 272

114.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$8.55 PKR 2,367

129.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.53 PKR 702

35.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$3.86 PKR 1,069

194.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.04 PKR 287

186.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.56 PKR 154

200.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$0.54 PKR 150

309.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$0.47 PKR 130

359.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.31 PKR 85.9

390.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.52 PKR 145

157.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.50 PKR 139

126.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.38 PKR 104

44.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.51 PKR 142

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 PKR 190

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.01 PKR 557

111.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.09 PKR 303

177.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$1.06 PKR 294

-3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.85 PKR 790

36.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.15 PKR 317

29.57%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

13.41%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$22.0K PKR 6.1M

22.86%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$68.2 PKR 18.9K

50.23%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.61 PKR 1,277

145.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$11.87 PKR 3,288

46.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$10.71 PKR 2,966

3.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.12 PKR 1,971

8.01%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$23.89 PKR 6,617

2246.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$653 PKR 180.7K

1663.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$16.65 PKR 4,612

278.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$21.36 PKR 5,915

38.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$55.0 PKR 15.2K

78.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$29.83 PKR 8,263

196.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$257 PKR 71.1K

720.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$129 PKR 35.6K

853.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$3,579 PKR 991.3K

1.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$756 PKR 209.3K

244.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$137 PKR 37.9K

260.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.83

-52.92%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bahawalpur: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 260% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $7.00 in Bahawalpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $90.0 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 315% 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.

Average pay runs 260% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 204% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $297 in Bahawalpur – a 315% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $297 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 $297 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 315% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.