Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karachi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karachi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $476 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $742 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,009 in Karachi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 159% more expensive than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Karachi 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.20 PKR 609

100.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$13.66 PKR 3,785

136.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.54 PKR 1,536

61.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 PKR 595

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 PKR 2,039

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.23 PKR 617

30.04%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.36 PKR 99.3

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.26 PKR 72.4

84.62%

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

$0.85 PKR 234

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.55 PKR 154

167.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.20 PKR 332

29.17%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.22 PKR 338

72.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.24 PKR 1,727

213.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.10 PKR 860

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$6.36 PKR 1,761

78.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.27 PKR 351

134.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.54 PKR 150

211.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.04 PKR 287

112.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.61 PKR 168

254.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.32 PKR 88.2

375.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.30 PKR 84.4

346.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.40 PKR 110

182.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.43 PKR 120

27.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 PKR 355

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 381

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 PKR 666

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.82 PKR 503

134.07%

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

$0.28 PKR 77.4

696.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$8.08 PKR 2,239

181.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.74 PKR 205

309.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.74 PKR 204

37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.11 PKR 583

84.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.32 PKR 366

12.88%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

47.24%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$27.1K PKR 7.5M

-0.39%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$109 PKR 30.2K

-5.89%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$5.83 PKR 1,614

94.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$12.96 PKR 3,589

34.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$21.39 PKR 5,927

143.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$18.82 PKR 5,214

-41.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.25 PKR 1,178

80.94%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$50.1 PKR 13.9K

1018.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$1,571 PKR 435.2K

632.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$15.72 PKR 4,355

300.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$22.45 PKR 6,218

31.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$68.5 PKR 19.0K

43.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$38.80 PKR 10.7K

128.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$111 PKR 30.8K

564.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$72.9 PKR 20.2K

561.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$327 PKR 90.5K

544.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$181 PKR 50.1K

577.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,018 PKR 281.9K

255.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$484 PKR 134.2K

437.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$178 PKR 49.2K

177.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.88

-56.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Karachi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $111 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 178% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $102 per month, with Karachi 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 Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Karachi differ by about 159% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $476 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 178% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $111 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $476 in Karachi – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 181% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $476 in Karachi versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi 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 Karachi 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 Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.