😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $475 in Nawabshah.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $701 in Nawabshah.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $927 in Nawabshah.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 159% more expensive than in Nawabshah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket10% lower, Nawabshah65% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$2.12PKR 587
108.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$13.41PKR 3,715
140.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$5.34PKR 1,479
67.23%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.14PKR 593
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.01PKR 1,943
-
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$2.23PKR 617
30.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$0.39PKR 107
125.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$0.24PKR 66.1
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$0.85PKR 235
120.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$0.56PKR 154
162.50%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$1.20PKR 331
29.17%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$1.22PKR 339
72.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$6.25PKR 1,730
213.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$3.05PKR 844
12.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$6.07PKR 1,681
87.48%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$1.22PKR 338
144.26%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$0.60PKR 165
180.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$1.03PKR 285
114.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$0.56PKR 154
285.71%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$0.34PKR 94.5
347.06%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$0.31PKR 85.6
332.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$0.36PKR 101
213.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$0.44PKR 121
25.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.23PKR 341
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.35PKR 375
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.40PKR 665
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$1.82PKR 505
134.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$0.16PKR 45.17
1293.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
$9.07PKR 2,512
150.72%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$0.73PKR 203
315.07%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$0.69PKR 192
47.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$2.11PKR 584
84.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.28PKR 355
16.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$17.8KPKR 4.9M
49.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$26.7KPKR 7.4M
1.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$109PKR 30.2K
-6.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$5.82PKR 1,613
94.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$13.40PKR 3,711
29.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$13.49PKR 3,736
286.06%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$4.37PKR 1,210
75.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$49.92PKR 13.8K
1023.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$1,599PKR 442.9K
619.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$15.42PKR 4,272
308.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$21.92PKR 6,072
34.67%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$69.6PKR 19.3K
40.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$38.71PKR 10.7K
128.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$126PKR 34.8K
486.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$78.0PKR 21.6K
518.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$258PKR 71.4K
717.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$150PKR 41.4K
719.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$965PKR 267.3K
274.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$443PKR 122.8K
487.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nawabshah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
$126PKR 34.9K
291.53%
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: September 15, 2026
Last update for Nawabshah: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $126 in Nawabshah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 292% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in Nawabshah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $101 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 159% 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 292% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $126 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 171% 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 $13.00 versus $32.00 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 $475 in Nawabshah versus $1,232 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 $475 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 159% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.