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 $379 in Peshawar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $564 in Peshawar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $749 in Peshawar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 234% more expensive than Peshawar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Peshawar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$2.23 PKR 621

110.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$10.77 PKR 2,995

321.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$3.58 PKR 996

135.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 PKR 401

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 PKR 758

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.77 PKR 492

65.54%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.28 PKR 76.8

146.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.17 PKR 47.72

117.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.82 PKR 227

171.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.61 PKR 169

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.12 PKR 312

93.75%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.24 PKR 346

78.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.36 PKR 935

487.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.07 PKR 855

18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$3.66 PKR 1,017

269.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.04 PKR 290

215.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.65 PKR 180

147.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.97 PKR 270

148.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.45 PKR 126

362.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.39 PKR 109

292.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.45 PKR 124

228.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.22 PKR 61.1

350.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.32 PKR 88.1

59.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.75 PKR 208

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PKR 969

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.80 PKR 502

145.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.16 PKR 45.28

756.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$6.90 PKR 1,918

65.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.68 PKR 190

344.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.75 PKR 209

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.82 PKR 507

674.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.00 PKR 278

36.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$11.9K PKR 3.3M

136.90%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

44.42%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$96.3 PKR 26.8K

26.34%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.24 PKR 1,179

220.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$10.89 PKR 3,028

68.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$9.91 PKR 2,757

507.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$6.88 PKR 1,913

149.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.28 PKR 1,191

103.04%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$30.41 PKR 8,459

2180.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$519 PKR 144.5K

2920.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$13.14 PKR 3,656

353.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$19.22 PKR 5,346

80.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$38.29 PKR 10.7K

199.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$32.48 PKR 9,035

156.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$119 PKR 33.2K

413.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

746.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$206 PKR 57.4K

915.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$95.5 PKR 26.6K

1481.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$173 PKR 48.0K

194.45%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Peshawar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $119 in Peshawar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 194% 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 $11.00 in Peshawar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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

Peshawar wins on cost – living expenses run 234% 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.

Phuket pays 194% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $119 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 $379 in Peshawar – a 234% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Peshawar runs roughly 65% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $379 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 $379 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 234% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.