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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Phuket costs about 139% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$2.80 PKR 779

67.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$14.22 PKR 3,955

219.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.44 PKR 1,512

54.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.00 PKR 557

46.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.43 PKR 119

60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.22 PKR 61.1

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.94 PKR 260

137.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.62 PKR 173

195.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.21 PKR 338

79.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.20 PKR 335

84.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.07 PKR 1,689

225.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.39 PKR 942

7.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.38 PKR 1,218

208.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.03 PKR 287

218.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.78 PKR 216

106.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.93 PKR 260

159.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.60 PKR 166

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.41 PKR 115

273.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.54 PKR 149

174.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.34 PKR 93.3

191.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.37 PKR 103

37.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.14 PKR 596

106.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.19 PKR 52.2

621.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$6.90 PKR 1,921

65.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.86 PKR 238

251.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.44 PKR 122

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.81 PKR 782

401.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.91 PKR 253

49.45%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

31.11%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

25.83%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$112 PKR 31.1K

8.91%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$5.44 PKR 1,512

149.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.81 PKR 5,234

-2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$22.19 PKR 6,174

171.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$6.04 PKR 1,679

183.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.21 PKR 1,171

106.41%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

1049.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

459.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$21.57 PKR 5,999

175.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$27.63 PKR 7,686

25.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

108.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$198 PKR 55.1K

209.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$112 PKR 31.1K

291.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$513 PKR 142.6K

308.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$296 PKR 82.3K

409.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

141.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$657 PKR 182.9K

297.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$387 PKR 107.8K

31.18%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $198 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 31% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $98.0 – 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 139%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $794 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 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 $45.00 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 $529, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.