Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karak Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karak

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $399 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $580 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $760 in Karak, rent included.

Phuket costs about 213% more than Karak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Karak are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Karak 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$0.69 PKR 192

559.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$6.88 PKR 1,909

571.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.45 PKR 1,514

62.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 PKR 193

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$0.51 PKR 142

500.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.37 PKR 102

97.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.22 PKR 61.0

81.82%

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

$1.01 PKR 280

123.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.54 PKR 151

235.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.08 PKR 300

108.33%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.08 PKR 300

108.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$1.72 PKR 478

1034.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.76 PKR 767

32.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.28 PKR 1,189

204.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.72 PKR 200

348.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.51 PKR 141

217.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.73 PKR 203

226.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.59 PKR 164

244.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.39 PKR 107

292.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.54 PKR 150

177.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.19 PKR 52.6

415.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.24 PKR 66.2

116.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.42 PKR 393

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.17 PKR 602

104.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.20 PKR 56.0

605.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$7.02 PKR 1,948

66.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.85 PKR 235

265.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.41 PKR 113

153.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.89 PKR 803

388.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.96 PKR 267

36.46%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

28.68%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

24.69%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$111 PKR 30.8K

10.42%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$5.58 PKR 1,549

143.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$18.84 PKR 5,232

-0.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$12.33 PKR 3,425

390.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$5.91 PKR 1,640

187.31%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.21 PKR 1,169

115.44%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$60.6 PKR 16.8K

1066.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,112 PKR 308.7K

1321.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$21.53 PKR 5,979

171.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$28.08 PKR 7,796

25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$88.5 PKR 24.6K

30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$40.05 PKR 11.1K

109.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$75.1 PKR 20.9K

732.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$52.1 PKR 14.5K

755.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$166 PKR 46.2K

1125.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$105 PKR 29.2K

1320.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,009 PKR 280.1K

245.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$434 PKR 120.5K

493.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

20.2

-73.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Karak: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $75.1 in Karak. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $7.00 in Karak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $74.0 – making Karak the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Karak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 213% more than Karak, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $599 in Karak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karak, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $60.6 in Karak. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karak, where all-in costs run around $399, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Karak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karak costs $399 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Karak. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.