Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jhelum Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Jhelum

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $324 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $510 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $696 in Jhelum.

Living in Phuket is roughly 285% more expensive than in Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Jhelum 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.73 PKR 481

163.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$10.43 PKR 2,895

342.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$3.61 PKR 1,001

144.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 800

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 PKR 1,303

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.50 PKR 417

104.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.31 PKR 86.0

135.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$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

$0.61 PKR 170

270.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.59 PKR 164

206.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.29 PKR 359

74.42%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.19 PKR 331

89.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.15 PKR 1,431

278.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.44 PKR 679

49.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$3.05 PKR 848

327.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.98 PKR 272

229.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.58 PKR 162

179.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$0.62 PKR 172

283.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.51 PKR 141

298.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.38 PKR 104

302.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.54 PKR 150

177.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.20 PKR 54.4

390.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.24 PKR 66.8

116.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.95 PKR 263

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PKR 189

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 570

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$0.85 PKR 235

422.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.17 PKR 46.33

729.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$7.16 PKR 1,988

63.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.09 PKR 302

185.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$0.49 PKR 135

112.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$1.74 PKR 482

710.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.97 PKR 270

35.05%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

28.31%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

55.27%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

134.60%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$2.79 PKR 775

387.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$12.93 PKR 3,591

44.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$12.36 PKR 3,433

389.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$5.90 PKR 1,637

187.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.45 PKR 958

162.90%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$17.80 PKR 4,942

3868.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$1,152 PKR 319.8K

1272.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$16.09 PKR 4,469

263.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$22.13 PKR 6,145

59.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

92.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$25.89 PKR 7,189

223.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

728.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$51.4 PKR 14.3K

765.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$165 PKR 45.8K

1136.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$104 PKR 28.9K

1332.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$899 PKR 249.7K

287.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$543 PKR 150.7K

374.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-70.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $75.5 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $78.0 per month, with Jhelum cheaper across the board.

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 cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 285% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $487 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: $626 in Phuket versus $75.5 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 270% 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 $10.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $324 in Jhelum versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 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.

For families, Jhelum is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Jhelum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 285% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.