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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $390 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $596 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $803 in Jhelum.

Living in Phuket is roughly 216% more expensive than in Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Jhelum 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.76 PKR 488

150.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$10.62 PKR 2,943

203.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.25 PKR 1,456

70.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PKR 707

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 PKR 607

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.52 PKR 422

90.79%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.47 PKR 131

87.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.32 PKR 89.2

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.63 PKR 174

196.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.66 PKR 182

122.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.27 PKR 351

22.05%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.21 PKR 335

73.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$2.66 PKR 738

636.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.33 PKR 645

46.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$2.62 PKR 725

334.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.04 PKR 287

186.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.35 PKR 96.5

380.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.55 PKR 152

301.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.47 PKR 129

359.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.31 PKR 87.0

390.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.37 PKR 104

262.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.54 PKR 150

109.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.42 PKR 117

30.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 494

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 PKR 146

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 722

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.36 PKR 653

80.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.18 PKR 48.68

1138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$9.48 PKR 2,625

139.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.05 PKR 291

188.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.06 PKR 295

-3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.84 PKR 788

36.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.11 PKR 308

34.23%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

11.53%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

15.36%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

54.65%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$5.65 PKR 1,566

100.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$14.69 PKR 4,070

18.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$15.16 PKR 4,198

243.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$7.29 PKR 2,020

5.49%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$26.13 PKR 7,237

2045.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$2,033 PKR 563.1K

466.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$18.92 PKR 5,241

233.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$26.69 PKR 7,395

10.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$54.8 PKR 15.2K

78.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$30.28 PKR 8,389

192.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$142 PKR 39.4K

418.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$72.2 PKR 20.0K

568.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$226 PKR 62.7K

830.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$161 PKR 44.5K

662.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$992 PKR 274.8K

264.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$494 PKR 136.9K

426.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $142 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $71.0 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, Getting Around. The 216% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $585 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: $738 in Phuket versus $142 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 285% 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 $11.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $390 in Jhelum versus $1,232 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 216% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.