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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $439 in Mehar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $654 in Mehar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $870 in Mehar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 186% more expensive than in Mehar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Mehar 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$2.02 PKR 561

125.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$10.95 PKR 3,034

197.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$6.01 PKR 1,666

48.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 PKR 726

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 PKR 1,392

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$1.56 PKR 433

79.49%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.33 PKR 90.7

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.20 PKR 55.7

145.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$0.82 PKR 228

118.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.64 PKR 176

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.18 PKR 327

33.90%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.25 PKR 345

70.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$5.99 PKR 1,662

232.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$2.65 PKR 735

29.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$4.86 PKR 1,346

133.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$1.19 PKR 331

147.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.56 PKR 156

207.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$0.73 PKR 203

217.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.49 PKR 135

324.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$0.31 PKR 87.0

374.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.35 PKR 96.6

288.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.34 PKR 95.4

223.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.33 PKR 92.1

72.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 550

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 317

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 PKR 642

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.45 PKR 678

74.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.20 PKR 54.2

1010.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$9.99 PKR 2,770

129.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.13 PKR 313

168.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.61 PKR 170

75.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$1.73 PKR 480

127.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.16 PKR 322

28.45%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$23.0K PKR 6.4M

17.85%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$28.7K PKR 8.0M

-4.28%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$95.3 PKR 26.4K

7.88%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$5.51 PKR 1,527

99.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$14.66 PKR 4,063

19.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$14.55 PKR 4,034

267.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.38 PKR 1,213

70.78%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$44.27 PKR 12.3K

1158.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$944 PKR 261.7K

1155.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$13.64 PKR 3,781

369.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$22.66 PKR 6,283

28.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$65.6 PKR 18.2K

46.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$27.72 PKR 7,685

225.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$126 PKR 34.9K

479.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$77.7 PKR 21.6K

542.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$255 PKR 70.6K

720.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$149 PKR 41.2K

713.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$953 PKR 264.2K

277.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$510 PKR 141.3K

393.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$106 PKR 29.5K

372.69%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mehar: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $126 in Mehar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 373% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Mehar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $92.0 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 186% 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.

Average pay runs 373% 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: $730 in Phuket versus $126 in Mehar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $439 in Mehar – a 186% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mehar runs roughly 129% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $439 in Mehar versus $1,253 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 $439 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 186% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.