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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $431 in Gilgit, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $649 in Gilgit, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $867 in Gilgit, rent included.

Phuket costs about 194% more than Gilgit, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Gilgit are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Gilgit 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.51 PKR 419

208.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$10.97 PKR 3,039

193.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.55 PKR 1,536

56.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 PKR 713

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.35 PKR 1,483

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.47 PKR 407

97.28%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.35 PKR 97.2

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.24 PKR 66.7

104.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.87 PKR 241

117.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.63 PKR 175

123.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.16 PKR 322

39.66%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.20 PKR 331

86.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$6.05 PKR 1,677

227.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.52 PKR 699

38.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$4.96 PKR 1,374

129.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.12 PKR 309

158.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.59 PKR 163

191.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.78 PKR 216

191.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.52 PKR 143

309.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.29 PKR 79.9

406.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.35 PKR 97.0

305.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.33 PKR 92.6

233.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.37 PKR 103

62.16%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 492

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 PKR 303

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 PKR 685

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.12 PKR 587

103.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.17 PKR 46.21

1223.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$9.65 PKR 2,672

143.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.10 PKR 305

181.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.68 PKR 190

58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$1.65 PKR 458

134.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.11 PKR 309

28.83%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

28.36%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$25.1K PKR 6.9M

7.70%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$103 PKR 28.6K

1.62%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$2.12 PKR 587

437.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$14.45 PKR 4,002

21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$14.87 PKR 4,119

265.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.41 PKR 1,223

76.42%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$14.58 PKR 4,038

3853.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,012 PKR 280.2K

1044.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$14.96 PKR 4,146

325.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$22.53 PKR 6,241

29.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$72.2 PKR 20.0K

33.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$29.82 PKR 8,262

201.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$124 PKR 34.4K

489.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$78.2 PKR 21.7K

540.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$248 PKR 68.7K

756.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$150 PKR 41.6K

734.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$896 PKR 248.2K

294.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$511 PKR 141.6K

413.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$177 PKR 49.1K

186.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.88

-56.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Gilgit: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $124 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 186% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $11.00 in Gilgit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $92.0 – 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 194% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $646 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 198% 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $11.00 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 $431, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $431 versus $1,265 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.