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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $407 in Karak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $583 in Karak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $759 in Karak, rent included.

Phuket costs about 211% 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

$4.70 ฿153

$0.74 PKR 205

535.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$7.00 PKR 1,948

548.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.27 PKR 1,467

59.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 PKR 189

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$0.51 PKR 141

474.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.34 PKR 93.3

102.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.24 PKR 66.9

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.00 PKR 277

123.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.51 PKR 141

258.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.04 PKR 288

108.65%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.09 PKR 303

102.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$1.81 PKR 503

990.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.82 PKR 784

28.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.29 PKR 1,194

215.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.72 PKR 201

355.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.55 PKR 153

192.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.72 PKR 202

234.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.55 PKR 154

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.38 PKR 107

302.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.57 PKR 158

159.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.17 PKR 46.89

482.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.24 PKR 66.6

112.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 PKR 373

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 PKR 253

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.14 PKR 595

106.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.18 PKR 49.76

661.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$7.23 PKR 2,010

57.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.86 PKR 240

251.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.44 PKR 121

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.84 PKR 791

396.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.97 PKR 269

40.21%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

30.61%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.4K PKR 7.4M

24.47%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$113 PKR 31.6K

7.24%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$5.36 PKR 1,491

153.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.48 PKR 5,141

-0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$12.19 PKR 3,391

394.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$6.05 PKR 1,684

183.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.22 PKR 1,174

105.92%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$59.1 PKR 16.5K

1072.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,129 PKR 314.1K

1289.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$21.57 PKR 6,001

175.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$27.73 PKR 7,714

25.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$90.1 PKR 25.1K

27.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$40.80 PKR 11.4K

104.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$73.7 PKR 20.5K

731.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

747.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$167 PKR 46.5K

1152.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$104 PKR 29.1K

1344.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,127 PKR 313.5K

232.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$580 PKR 161.3K

351.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Karak: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $73.7 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $7.00 in Karak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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 211% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $610 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 58% less in Karak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $59.1 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 $407, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $407 versus $1,265 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.