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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,160 in Islamabad, rent included.

Phuket costs about 134% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$2.85 PKR 791

59.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$14.26 PKR 3,960

223.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.44 PKR 1,511

62.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.97 PKR 547

55.33%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.40 PKR 110

82.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.24 PKR 67.0

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.96 PKR 268

135.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.66 PKR 183

174.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.28 PKR 355

75.78%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.20 PKR 334

87.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$6.07 PKR 1,687

221.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.37 PKR 937

8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.35 PKR 1,209

200.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.04 PKR 289

210.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.84 PKR 234

92.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.91 PKR 253

161.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.56 PKR 156

262.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.41 PKR 115

273.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.57 PKR 158

163.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.31 PKR 85.4

216.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.41 PKR 113

26.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.14 PKR 595

107.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.17 PKR 46.51

729.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$7.22 PKR 2,005

62.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.85 PKR 236

265.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.43 PKR 120

141.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.79 PKR 775

405.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.98 PKR 271

33.67%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

33.09%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

28.05%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$114 PKR 31.6K

7.69%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$5.41 PKR 1,501

151.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$18.69 PKR 5,190

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$22.13 PKR 6,144

173.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$6.12 PKR 1,698

177.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.14 PKR 1,150

119.08%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

1073.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

474.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$21.08 PKR 5,854

177.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$27.64 PKR 7,674

27.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

104.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$199 PKR 55.3K

214.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$110 PKR 30.5K

304.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$505 PKR 140.1K

304.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$299 PKR 83.0K

399.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

130.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$647 PKR 179.8K

297.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$385 PKR 106.9K

29.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

20.2

-73.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $199 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 30% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $100 – 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 134%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $801 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 191% 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $14.00 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 $534, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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.