Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jhelum

For one person, living is cheaper in Jhelum: $397 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Jhelum
Learn more

Jhelum Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Jhelum

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$397

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Jhelum

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 Jhelum actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $397 in Jhelum.

Phuket $1,278
Jhelum $397

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $606 in Jhelum.

Phuket $2,216
Jhelum $606

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $815 in Jhelum.

Phuket $3,154
Jhelum $815

Living in Phuket is roughly 222% more expensive than in Jhelum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Jhelum 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$1.84 PKR 508

142.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$10.86 PKR 3,004

198.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$5.52 PKR 1,527

59.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 PKR 688

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 PKR 613

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$1.52 PKR 419

86.18%

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

$0.87 ฿29.41

$0.48 PKR 134

81.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$0.32 PKR 89.0

53.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$0.64 PKR 176

159.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.31

$0.60 PKR 167

143.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.27 PKR 350

18.11%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$1.19 PKR 329

75.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$2.66 PKR 736

616.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.36 PKR 654

39.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$2.70 PKR 746

304.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$1.10 PKR 304

166.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$0.34 PKR 95.4

397.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.56 PKR 156

301.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$0.63 PKR 175

230.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$0.30 PKR 83.5

403.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.52

$0.38 PKR 104

263.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.96

$0.41 PKR 114

160.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$0.41 PKR 112

26.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 PKR 516

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 154

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 PKR 648

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$1.42 PKR 392

195.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.98

$0.17 PKR 46.63

752.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$11.33 PKR 3,136

400.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$1.07 PKR 295

182.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.33

$1.10 PKR 304

-7.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$2.87 PKR 793

28.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.76

$1.18 PKR 326

24.58%

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

$26.8K ฿903.4K

$23.6K PKR 6.5M

13.53%

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

$26.7K ฿900.5K

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

15.49%

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

$96.4 ฿3,251

$66.2 PKR 18.3K

45.65%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$5.67 PKR 1,570

98.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$14.72 PKR 4,073

14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$15.48 PKR 4,282

334.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$8.65 PKR 2,394

24.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$7.32 PKR 2,026

2.46%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$26.16 PKR 7,238

1719.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.0K

$2,005 PKR 554.8K

461.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,104

$18.73 PKR 5,183

232.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$26.05 PKR 7,207

9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,181

$54.9 PKR 15.2K

71.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,895

$30.06 PKR 8,318

185.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$144 PKR 39.8K

397.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$79.7 PKR 22.0K

516.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$259 PKR 71.6K

644.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$160 PKR 44.2K

795.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$730 PKR 201.8K

472.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

$474 PKR 131.2K

541.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.83

-52.92%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Jhelum

$80 20.1% 83.8% $411

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Jhelum

$71 17.9% 73.2% $195

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Jhelum

$87 21.8% 30.5% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Jhelum

$58 14.7% 52.1% $64

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Jhelum

$53 13.3% 56.7% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Jhelum

$30 7.6% 63.4% $52

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Jhelum

$19 4.7% 73.7% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $144 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $11 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $71 per month, with Jhelum cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇵🇰 Jhelum

🕒 Local time

04:14 4:14 AM

02:14 2:14 AM

2 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

190,425

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.24 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 November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 309 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Between locations

Phuket Jhelum 3,770 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Jhelum

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 Jhelum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jhelum is about 69% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $596 in Jhelum to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $144 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 274% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Jhelum – a meal for two runs $11 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $397 in Jhelum versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jhelum but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Jhelum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Jhelum are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.