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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $385 in Gilgit, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $583 in Gilgit, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $780 in Gilgit, rent included.

Phuket costs about 220% 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

$4.63 ฿151

$1.81 PKR 505

155.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$10.79 PKR 3,008

334.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.14 PKR 1,155

113.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,008

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.43 PKR 400

109.79%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.32 PKR 88.8

131.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.23 PKR 64.4

60.87%

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

$0.72 PKR 200

213.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.59 PKR 165

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.15 PKR 321

94.78%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.24 PKR 346

87.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$3.95 PKR 1,100

397.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$3.00 PKR 837

21.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.61 PKR 1,006

262.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$0.51 PKR 143

564.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.51 PKR 142

221.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.65 PKR 181

270.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.52 PKR 144

290.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.35 PKR 97.2

345.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.60 PKR 169

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.33 PKR 92.3

209.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.47 PKR 132

4.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 344

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.91 PKR 532

132.98%

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

$0.20 PKR 57.0

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$6.89 PKR 1,920

66.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.86 PKR 240

262.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.44 PKR 122

127.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$1.74 PKR 484

709.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.97 PKR 270

39.18%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$21.4K PKR 6.0M

26.89%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

42.47%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$103 PKR 28.7K

21.35%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$1.93 PKR 538

603.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$13.63 PKR 3,799

35.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$12.33 PKR 3,438

398.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$5.97 PKR 1,663

182.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$3.62 PKR 1,009

153.87%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$14.35 PKR 4,001

4765.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$1,116 PKR 311.2K

1296.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$14.95 PKR 4,168

286.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$22.52 PKR 6,277

56.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$68.8 PKR 19.2K

64.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$29.02 PKR 8,091

197.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

711.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$52.3 PKR 14.6K

752.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$169 PKR 47.2K

1108.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$104 PKR 29.0K

1333.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$813 PKR 226.7K

364.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$584 PKR 162.8K

353.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$179 PKR 50.0K

191.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gilgit: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $75.9 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 192% 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 $11.00 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 220% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $578 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 $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 $385, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $385 versus $1,232 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.