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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $325 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $512 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $700 in Jhelum.

Living in Phuket is roughly 290% more expensive than Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$1.78 PKR 496

164.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$10.47 PKR 2,911

333.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$3.58 PKR 996

135.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PKR 806

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 PKR 1,363

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.51 PKR 419

94.04%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.33 PKR 91.9

109.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.24 PKR 67.0

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.56 PKR 156

298.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.59 PKR 165

210.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.26 PKR 351

72.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.15 PKR 320

92.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.06 PKR 1,408

290.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.38 PKR 662

52.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$3.07 PKR 854

340.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.03 PKR 287

218.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.54 PKR 151

198.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.63 PKR 175

282.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.51 PKR 142

307.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.35 PKR 96.9

337.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.55 PKR 154

169.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.19 PKR 51.5

421.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.22 PKR 61.2

131.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 PKR 282

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 204

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 550

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$0.84 PKR 235

425.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.18 PKR 51.0

661.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$6.92 PKR 1,924

64.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.07 PKR 299

182.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.53 PKR 148

86.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.79 PKR 497

687.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.97 PKR 269

40.21%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

26.92%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

57.96%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$52.9 PKR 14.7K

129.97%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$2.87 PKR 799

372.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$13.02 PKR 3,623

40.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$12.58 PKR 3,500

378.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$5.85 PKR 1,628

192.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.44 PKR 957

152.62%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$17.79 PKR 4,950

3797.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$1,111 PKR 309.1K

1311.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$16.17 PKR 4,498

268.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$22.32 PKR 6,210

55.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

91.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$26.22 PKR 7,294

217.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$74.5 PKR 20.7K

722.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

733.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$164 PKR 45.5K

1179.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$108 PKR 29.9K

1303.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$851 PKR 236.6K

340.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$454 PKR 126.3K

476.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $74.5 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $76.0 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 290% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 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: $613 in Phuket versus $74.5 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 283% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $325 in Jhelum versus $1,265 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 290% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.