Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $599 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Islamabad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Islamabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $599 in Islamabad, rent included.

Phuket $1,207
Islamabad $599

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $930 in Islamabad, rent included.

Phuket $2,037
Islamabad $930

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $1,261 in Islamabad, rent included.

Phuket $2,867
Islamabad $1,261

Phuket costs about 101% more than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Islamabad 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.58 ฿153

$3.63 PKR 1,004

26.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.48 ฿1,086

$23.40 PKR 6,478

38.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ฿286

$5.54 PKR 1,534

54.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 PKR 987

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,864

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.0

$2.64 PKR 730

3.03%

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

$0.94 ฿31.25

$0.32 PKR 89.6

193.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.39

$0.23 PKR 63.7

113.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.1

$0.94 PKR 259

85.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.82

$0.72 PKR 200

98.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.0

$1.30 PKR 361

17.69%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$1.22 PKR 339

77.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 ฿640

$6.05 PKR 1,674

216.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿110

$3.09 PKR 855

6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿372

$5.35 PKR 1,482

108.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$1.26 PKR 350

134.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.87 PKR 241

93.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 ฿76.8

$1.04 PKR 288

121.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿71.3

$0.53 PKR 146

301.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.1

$0.29 PKR 81.2

427.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.55

$0.36 PKR 99.4

277.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ฿37.44

$0.28 PKR 76.4

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.39 PKR 108

41.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 539

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 743

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.24 PKR 619

90.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.19 ฿608

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿93.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

$0.16 PKR 43.07

1287.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

$21.34 PKR 5,905

3.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ฿97.3

$1.24 PKR 344

134.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ฿33.79

$0.74 PKR 204

36.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 ฿128

$1.60 PKR 442

139.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.85

$1.37 PKR 378

8.76%

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

$26.7K ฿891.6K

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

-51.04%

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

$26.7K ฿892.7K

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

11.96%

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

$99.4 ฿3,321

$103 PKR 28.6K

-3.77%

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

$11.28 ฿377

$5.99 PKR 1,658

88.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.36 ฿580

$17.15 PKR 4,746

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ฿1,747

$28.20 PKR 7,806

85.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

$8.47 PKR 2,344

28.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ฿253

$4.43 PKR 1,226

70.88%

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

$558 ฿18.7K

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

637.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.9K

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

129.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 ฿2,102

$25.72 PKR 7,118

144.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.58 ฿955

$34.48 PKR 9,543

-17.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 ฿3,213

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ฿2,943

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

113.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ฿24.4K

$276 PKR 76.5K

163.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ฿15.4K

$139 PKR 38.3K

231.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 ฿70.0K

$572 PKR 158.2K

266.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 ฿40.8K

$270 PKR 74.9K

351.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,459 ฿115.6K

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

112.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 ฿83.2K

$836 PKR 231.5K

197.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$493 ฿16.5K

$380 PKR 105.2K

29.69%

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: October 13, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$460 38.1%

Islamabad

$139 23.1% 69.9% $321

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.2%

Islamabad

$102 17% 61.9% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$128 10.6%

Islamabad

$126 21.1% 1.3% $1.6

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Islamabad

$89 14.8% 28.5% $35

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10.1%

Islamabad

$80 13.3% 34.5% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$67 5.6%

Islamabad

$37 6.2% 45% $30

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.2%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 30.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $276 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $102 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

05:31 5:31 AM

2 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

1,009,832 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Islamabad 3,870 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Islamabad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 101%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $899 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 162% 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 $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 $599, than in Phuket at $1,207. 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.