Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gilgit Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gilgit

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $388 in Gilgit, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $582 in Gilgit, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $776 in Gilgit, rent included.

Phuket costs about 215% more than Gilgit, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Gilgit are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Gilgit 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$1.75 PKR 486

157.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$10.40 PKR 2,892

348.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$4.05 PKR 1,125

109.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 PKR 962

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.49 PKR 414

106.71%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.32 PKR 87.9

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.21 PKR 58.4

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.73 PKR 202

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.60 PKR 167

201.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.19 PKR 331

87.39%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.28 PKR 356

75.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$3.79 PKR 1,054

417.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$3.00 PKR 834

24.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$3.58 PKR 995

276.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$0.51 PKR 142

558.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.52 PKR 143

211.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$0.61 PKR 170

295.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$0.56 PKR 154

255.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.35 PKR 96.0

337.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.60 PKR 165

141.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.31 PKR 85.1

225.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.48 PKR 134

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.59 PKR 441

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 240

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$1.93 PKR 536

121.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.17 PKR 47.02

735.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$6.88 PKR 1,912

70.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.85 PKR 237

252.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.40 PKR 113

162.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$1.81 PKR 504

667.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$0.96 PKR 268

34.38%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$21.3K PKR 5.9M

31.54%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

45.30%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$100.0 PKR 27.8K

22.04%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$1.92 PKR 533

625.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$13.97 PKR 3,883

35.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$12.25 PKR 3,406

400.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$5.98 PKR 1,664

181.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$3.47 PKR 964

156.20%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$14.30 PKR 3,976

4734.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$1,101 PKR 306.1K

1367.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$15.22 PKR 4,232

279.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$22.52 PKR 6,260

57.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$68.6 PKR 19.1K

65.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$29.00 PKR 8,062

186.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$76.4 PKR 21.2K

694.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

769.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$167 PKR 46.5K

1112.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$104 PKR 29.0K

1331.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$859 PKR 238.8K

317.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$480 PKR 133.4K

438.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$183 PKR 50.9K

175.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-71.95%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Gilgit: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $76.4 in Gilgit. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 176% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $10.00 in Gilgit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $80.0 – making Gilgit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gilgit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 215% more than Gilgit, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $582 in Gilgit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gilgit, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 263% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $10.00 in Gilgit. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gilgit, where all-in costs run around $388, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Gilgit it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gilgit costs $388 versus $1,223 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gilgit. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.