😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $438 in Nawabshah.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $635 in Nawabshah.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $831 in Nawabshah.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 188% more expensive than in Nawabshah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Nawabshah67% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.53฿153
$2.08PKR 579
117.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.36฿1,565
$12.43PKR 3,450
272.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.65฿292
$4.07PKR 1,129
112.53%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.91PKR 531
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.18PKR 1,437
-
Cappuccino
$3.09฿104
$1.82PKR 506
69.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.89
$0.36PKR 100
88.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.44
$0.21PKR 58.2
76.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.42฿81.6
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.81฿129
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿73.5
$0.70PKR 194
211.43%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿61.3
$0.33PKR 92.7
451.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.5
$1.17PKR 325
86.32%
Eggs
$2.24฿75.4
$0.99PKR 274
126.26%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.93฿673
$6.34PKR 1,759
214.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.64฿123
$2.19PKR 607
66.21%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿458
$3.62PKR 1,005
274.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29฿111
$1.09PKR 302
201.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69฿56.9
$0.46PKR 128
267.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.8
$0.75PKR 207
210.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.4
$0.28PKR 78.5
625.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60฿54.0
$0.28PKR 78.3
471.43%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49฿50.5
$0.51PKR 142
192.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿34.17
$0.36PKR 99.7
180.56%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$0.40PKR 112
20.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.29PKR 359
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.28PKR 355
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.15PKR 596
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿150
$1.66PKR 461
168.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.63฿629
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79฿60.3
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80฿94.4
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.90
$0.17PKR 46.80
735.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.33฿382
$7.11PKR 1,974
59.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09฿104
$0.72PKR 201
329.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.19
$0.65PKR 181
60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.63฿460
$1.75PKR 487
678.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.23
$0.87PKR 243
50.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K฿920.7K
$16.7KPKR 4.6M
63.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$24.7KPKR 6.9M
34.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,157
$133PKR 36.9K
-7.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.81฿466
$5.01PKR 1,390
175.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿625
$13.54PKR 3,760
36.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.4฿2,037
$12.16PKR 3,377
396.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80฿567
$5.89PKR 1,636
185.23%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿300
$4.33PKR 1,201
105.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$687฿23.2K
$57.0PKR 15.8K
1103.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿524.8K
$1,354PKR 375.8K
1048.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6฿1,945
$17.68PKR 4,909
225.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.66฿1,170
$25.48PKR 7,074
36.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,879
$63.7PKR 17.7K
80.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9฿2,865
$35.63PKR 9,891
138.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618฿20.8K
$75.1PKR 20.9K
721.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$443฿15.0K
$52.7PKR 14.6K
741.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,047฿69.1K
$169PKR 46.8K
1113.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,506฿50.8K
$108PKR 30.0K
1292.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,568฿120.4K
$852PKR 236.4K
319.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,511฿84.7K
$510PKR 141.6K
392.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿17.0K
$128PKR 35.4K
293.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
17.8
-70.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Last update for Nawabshah: July 19, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $75.1 in Nawabshah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 294% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Nawabshah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $80.0 per month, with Nawabshah 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 Nawabshah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Nawabshah?
Nawabshah wins on cost – living expenses run 188% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nawabshah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Nawabshah?
Average pay runs 294% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket compared to Nawabshah?
Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $75.1 in Nawabshah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or in Nawabshah?
Supermarket bills run roughly 262% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Nawabshah?
Dining out is cheaper in Nawabshah – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Nawabshah?
At $438 in Nawabshah versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nawabshah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Nawabshah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Nawabshah?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nawabshah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $438 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nawabshah hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Nawabshah?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Nawabshah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nawabshah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.