Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Islamabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Islamabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Phuket costs about 113% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Islamabad 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.57 PKR 990

27.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$22.74 PKR 6,309

43.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$5.47 PKR 1,517

62.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.39 PKR 663

17.15%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.32 PKR 90.0

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.22 PKR 60.8

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.99 PKR 275

80.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.79 PKR 220

82.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.28 PKR 354

23.44%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.28 PKR 356

66.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$6.11 PKR 1,695

226.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$3.06 PKR 849

12.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$5.12 PKR 1,421

121.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.34 PKR 371

120.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.84 PKR 232

104.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.02 PKR 282

127.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.49 PKR 135

324.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.29 PKR 81.2

406.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.33 PKR 90.4

312.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.29 PKR 80.8

279.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.38 PKR 106

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.28 PKR 632

87.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.16 PKR 44.31

1287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$21.23 PKR 5,889

7.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.27 PKR 353

138.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$0.69 PKR 191

55.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$1.65 PKR 459

138.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.32 PKR 365

12.88%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-49.71%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

9.35%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$102 PKR 28.3K

0.69%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$5.83 PKR 1,618

88.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$16.34 PKR 4,534

7.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$29.09 PKR 8,071

84.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$8.93 PKR 2,478

25.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$5.01 PKR 1,390

49.30%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

642.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

133.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$23.55 PKR 6,532

172.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$32.68 PKR 9,066

-11.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

14.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

129.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$277 PKR 76.8K

163.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$144 PKR 40.0K

246.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$577 PKR 160.1K

262.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$266 PKR 73.9K

354.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

119.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$829 PKR 230.1K

202.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$381 PKR 105.8K

31.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.08

-57.42%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $277 in Islamabad. 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 32% 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $103 – making Islamabad 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 Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 113%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $884 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 166% 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 $33.00 in Phuket and $23.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Islamabad. 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.