Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mehar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mehar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $390 in Mehar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $584 in Mehar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $778 in Mehar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 224% more expensive than Mehar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Mehar 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$1.75 PKR 488

168.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,488

$10.59 PKR 2,946

328.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$3.99 PKR 1,110

111.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 PKR 957

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.0

$1.44 PKR 402

103.47%

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

$0.69 ฿22.48

$0.35 PKR 96.3

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.23 PKR 64.1

60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.2

$0.78 PKR 216

185.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$0.56 PKR 156

226.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.20 PKR 334

80.83%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$1.17 PKR 326

88.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿647

$6.12 PKR 1,703

222.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.68 PKR 747

35.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$3.77 PKR 1,050

258.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.04 PKR 289

215.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.8

$0.65 PKR 180

147.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.61 PKR 170

295.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.3

$0.48 PKR 133

333.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.1

$0.38 PKR 105

302.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.56

$0.51 PKR 141

190.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.42

$0.33 PKR 93.1

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.73

$0.34 PKR 93.7

50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.49 PKR 416

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.92 PKR 535

129.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.96

$0.20 PKR 55.2

585.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$7.24 PKR 2,013

57.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.0

$0.91 PKR 255

231.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.61

$0.44 PKR 122

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿462

$1.82 PKR 507

674.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$0.91 PKR 253

49.45%

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

$28.2K ฿924.7K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

31.07%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

41.66%

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

$122 ฿3,991

$103 PKR 28.6K

18.22%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$4.08 PKR 1,136

232.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿600

$13.55 PKR 3,770

35.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,975

$12.53 PKR 3,487

380.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$5.98 PKR 1,665

186.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$3.52 PKR 980

146.88%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$30.10 PKR 8,377

2203.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.4K

$1,126 PKR 313.4K

1293.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,952

$14.93 PKR 4,155

298.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,140

$21.83 PKR 6,076

59.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,758

$70.0 PKR 19.5K

63.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,731

$29.41 PKR 8,183

183.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$73.9 PKR 20.6K

730.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$50.8 PKR 14.1K

759.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$167 PKR 46.6K

1151.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$106 PKR 29.5K

1326.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.9K

$1,059 PKR 294.8K

253.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$463 PKR 128.9K

464.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$106 PKR 29.5K

379.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-71.95%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mehar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $73.9 in Mehar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 380% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Mehar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $87.0 per month, with Mehar 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 Mehar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mehar wins on cost – living expenses run 224% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mehar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Phuket pays 380% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $73.9 in Mehar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $390 in Mehar – a 224% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mehar runs roughly 57% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $390 in Mehar versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mehar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Mehar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mehar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $390 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mehar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Mehar 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 Mehar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 224% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.