Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Peshawar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Peshawar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $425 in Peshawar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $610 in Peshawar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $796 in Peshawar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 198% more expensive than in Peshawar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Peshawar 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.36 PKR 654

97.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$8.55 PKR 2,368

276.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.79 PKR 1,326

81.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 PKR 606

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 PKR 810

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.27 PKR 352

128.35%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.33 PKR 92.0

154.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.16 PKR 45.46

206.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.94 PKR 261

101.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.78 PKR 216

80.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.05 PKR 290

54.29%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.07 PKR 296

109.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$3.48 PKR 963

470.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$3.18 PKR 880

9.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$3.78 PKR 1,046

200.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.23 PKR 342

135.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.56 PKR 155

207.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.57 PKR 158

298.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.48 PKR 132

343.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.26 PKR 71.1

465.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.33 PKR 92.5

330.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.30 PKR 83.7

266.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.25 PKR 69.0

140.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.01 PKR 558

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 PKR 192

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 203

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$1.82 PKR 503

136.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.23 PKR 63.7

878.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$12.47 PKR 3,454

88.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.05 PKR 292

195.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.75 PKR 209

44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$1.42 PKR 393

172.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.11 PKR 307

28.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$22.6K PKR 6.3M

23.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

11.84%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$105 ฿3,462

$105 PKR 29.0K

0.16%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.39 ฿376

$5.81 PKR 1,610

96.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$14.12 PKR 3,913

24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$15.25 PKR 4,224

256.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$5.93 PKR 1,644

92.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$1.96 PKR 543

296.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$576 ฿19.0K

$46.88 PKR 13.0K

1129.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,915 PKR 1.4M

135.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$7.07 PKR 1,960

800.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$16.23 PKR 4,495

79.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$50.5 PKR 14.0K

90.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$40.74 PKR 11.3K

120.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$126 PKR 34.8K

484.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$77.4 PKR 21.4K

546.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$196 PKR 54.4K

982.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$119 PKR 33.0K

950.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$147 PKR 40.8K

245.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $126 in Peshawar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 245% 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 $9.00 in Peshawar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $83.0 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

Peshawar wins on cost – living expenses run 198% 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.

Average pay runs 245% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $126 in Peshawar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $425 in Peshawar – a 198% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Peshawar runs roughly 88% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $425 in Peshawar versus $1,265 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Peshawar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $425 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Peshawar hard to pass up.

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.

Expats usually find Peshawar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 198% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.