😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $430 in Nawabshah.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $631 in Nawabshah.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $832 in Nawabshah.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 195% more expensive than Nawabshah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Nawabshah68% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$2.14PKR 594
119.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,488
$12.49PKR 3,476
263.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$3.99PKR 1,111
111.28%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.00PKR 556
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.20PKR 1,447
-
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.0
$1.84PKR 512
59.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.48
$0.36PKR 100
91.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$0.21PKR 58.4
76.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.2
$0.73PKR 202
205.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$0.31PKR 85.1
490.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$1.17PKR 324
85.47%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$1.02PKR 283
116.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿647
$6.52PKR 1,814
202.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$2.19PKR 608
65.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$3.69PKR 1,026
266.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.08PKR 301
203.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.8
$0.43PKR 120
274.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$0.69PKR 191
249.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.3
$0.28PKR 78.8
642.86%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.1
$0.28PKR 78.5
446.43%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.56
$0.51PKR 143
190.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.42
$0.38PKR 107
160.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.73
$0.40PKR 112
27.50%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.23PKR 343
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.32PKR 366
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.13PKR 594
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$1.66PKR 461
165.66%
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
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.96
$0.18PKR 50.7
661.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$7.28PKR 2,025
56.46%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.0
$0.74PKR 206
308.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.61
$0.67PKR 187
47.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿462
$1.82PKR 506
674.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.68
$0.93PKR 259
46.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿924.7K
$16.4KPKR 4.6M
72.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$25.0KPKR 7.0M
31.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,991
$132PKR 36.8K
-8.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$4.89PKR 1,360
177.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿600
$13.65PKR 3,797
34.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,975
$12.35PKR 3,438
387.61%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$5.78PKR 1,609
196.54%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$4.16PKR 1,158
108.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$57.0PKR 15.9K
1116.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.4K
$1,377PKR 383.1K
1039.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,952
$17.82PKR 4,958
234.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,140
$25.09PKR 6,982
38.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,758
$65.7PKR 18.3K
74.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,731
$35.56PKR 9,895
134.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$73.9PKR 20.6K
729.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$52.1PKR 14.5K
739.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$164PKR 45.7K
1174.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$106PKR 29.6K
1318.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.9K
$1,008PKR 280.4K
272.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$530PKR 147.3K
394.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$128PKR 35.6K
296.99%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Nawabshah: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $73.9 in Nawabshah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 297% 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 $12.00 in Nawabshah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $81.0 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 195% 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 Nawabshah?
Phuket pays 297% more on average, 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 vs Nawabshah?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $73.9 in Nawabshah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or 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 vs Nawabshah?
Dining out is cheaper in Nawabshah – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $45.00 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 Nawabshah?
At $430 in Nawabshah versus $1,265 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 $430 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 195% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.