Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Multan

For one person, living is cheaper in Multan: $560 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Multan, Pakistan
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Multan
🇵🇰 Pakistan
$560
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Multan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Multan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $560 in Multan.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Multan $560

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $771 in Multan.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Multan $771

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $982 in Multan.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Multan $982

Living in Phuket is roughly 128% more expensive than in Multan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Multan 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Multan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$2.47 PKR 682
80.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$10.64 PKR 2,941
204.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$5.50 PKR 1,519
60.18%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.75 PKR 760
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.10 PKR 1,410
-
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.85 PKR 511
52.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.42
$0.30 PKR 83.1
190.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.66
$0.19 PKR 53.4
157.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Multan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$0.73 PKR 201
127.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.32
$0.52 PKR 143
180.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.08 PKR 297
38.89%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.09 PKR 301
91.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$6.59 PKR 1,821
189.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.52 PKR 697
30.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$4.47 PKR 1,237
144.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$0.91 PKR 252
221.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$0.47 PKR 129
259.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$0.67 PKR 186
235.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$0.57 PKR 158
264.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.39 PKR 108
287.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.54
$0.42 PKR 117
228.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.97
$0.47 PKR 129
127.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.37 PKR 103
40.54%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.80 PKR 499
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.86 PKR 789
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$2.18 PKR 603
92.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Multan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.00
$0.17 PKR 46.69
752.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$8.46 PKR 2,339
569.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.43 PKR 395
111.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.34
$0.38 PKR 104
168.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$0.86 PKR 237
329.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.78
$1.18 PKR 327
24.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.7K
$25.2K PKR 7.0M
6.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.8K
$23.3K PKR 6.4M
14.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Multan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,252
$146 PKR 40.2K
-33.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$4.82 PKR 1,332
133.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$18.97 PKR 5,243
-11.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Multan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,269
$23.97 PKR 6,627
180.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$3.57 PKR 987
200.56%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$4.27 PKR 1,181
75.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Multan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$41.98 PKR 11.6K
1033.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.1K
$993 PKR 274.4K
1034.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Multan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,105
$18.39 PKR 5,085
239.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$18.81 PKR 5,199
51.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,182
$94.0 PKR 26.0K
0.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,896
$25.44 PKR 7,034
237.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Multan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$190 PKR 52.5K
276.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$127 PKR 35.0K
287.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$236 PKR 65.4K
714.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$173 PKR 47.8K
728.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$763 PKR 211.0K
447.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$522 PKR 144.3K
483.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Multan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$185 PKR 51.2K
171.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
13
-57.15%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Multan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Multan
$127 74.2% $364
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Multan
$88 66.9% $178
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Multan
$169 36% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Multan
$71 42.2% $51
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Multan
$60 50.4% $61
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Multan
$33 60.5% $50
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Multan
$12 82.4% $58

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $190 in Multan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 2.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $11 in Multan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $88 per month, with Multan cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇵🇰 Multan
🕒 Local time
11:01 11:01 AM
09:01 9:01 AM
2 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
1,871,843
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 276 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.62 USD). 1 EUR = 309 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.24 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Multan 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Multan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Multan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Multan cheaper than Phuket?
Multan is about 56% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Multan?
Average pay in Phuket is about 2.7 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Multan?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $190 in Multan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $42 in Multan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Multan?
Supermarket bills run roughly 202% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Multan?
At $560 in Multan versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Multan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Multan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Multan?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Multan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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