😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $372 in Peshawar.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $554 in Peshawar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $736 in Peshawar.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 236% more expensive than in Peshawar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Peshawar72% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$2.34PKR 651
94.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$10.75PKR 2,985
329.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$3.60PKR 1,000
145.56%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.43PKR 398
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.61PKR 725
-
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$1.82PKR 506
68.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.28PKR 76.8
160.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.18PKR 49.00
122.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$0.81PKR 225
179.01%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$0.57PKR 158
217.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.12PKR 312
100.89%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.19PKR 330
89.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$3.38PKR 939
477.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$3.14PKR 872
16.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$3.78PKR 1,051
245.24%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.04PKR 288
210.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$0.61PKR 169
165.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$0.92PKR 255
158.70%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$0.43PKR 119
372.09%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$0.40PKR 110
282.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$0.45PKR 125
233.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.24PKR 66.7
308.33%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.32PKR 88.8
62.50%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$0.68PKR 190
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.63PKR 452
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.60PKR 999
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$1.88PKR 522
136.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$0.20PKR 55.1
605.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$6.91PKR 1,918
69.32%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$0.69PKR 190
350.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.73PKR 204
42.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$1.81PKR 504
679.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$1.00PKR 278
31.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$11.9KPKR 3.3M
132.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$22.6KPKR 6.3M
47.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$98.5PKR 27.3K
24.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$4.32PKR 1,201
214.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$10.62PKR 2,949
76.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$9.96PKR 2,766
507.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$6.66PKR 1,850
154.95%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$4.19PKR 1,164
116.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$29.39PKR 8,162
2303.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$518PKR 143.7K
2953.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$13.06PKR 3,628
348.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$19.62PKR 5,447
80.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$38.69PKR 10.7K
198.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$32.49PKR 9,022
157.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$120PKR 33.2K
423.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$51.6PKR 14.3K
762.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$202PKR 56.1K
910.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$95.0PKR 26.4K
1470.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Peshawar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$128PKR 35.5K
291.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
21.17
-74.82%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Last update for Peshawar: July 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $120 in Peshawar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 291% 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 $11.00 in Peshawar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $82.0 per month, with Peshawar 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 Peshawar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Peshawar?
Peshawar wins on cost – living expenses run 236% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Peshawar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Peshawar?
Average pay runs 291% 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 Peshawar?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $120 in Peshawar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Peshawar?
All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $372 in Peshawar – a 236% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Peshawar?
A monthly transit pass in Peshawar runs roughly 69% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or in Peshawar?
At $372 in Peshawar versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Peshawar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Peshawar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Peshawar?
Both work as nomad bases, but Peshawar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $372 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Peshawar hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Peshawar?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Peshawar 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 Peshawar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 236% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.