Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rawalpindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rawalpindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $427 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $665 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $902 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 195% more expensive than Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Rawalpindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.75 PKR 485

160.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$14.18 PKR 3,942

228.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.18 PKR 1,441

63.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.67 PKR 464

81.44%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.34 PKR 95.4

102.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.21 PKR 58.1

76.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.80 PKR 221

172.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.56 PKR 156

239.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.29 PKR 358

70.54%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.17 PKR 326

89.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$6.08 PKR 1,690

228.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.33 PKR 926

9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$4.52 PKR 1,256

193.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.99 PKR 275

226.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.64 PKR 178

165.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.92 PKR 256

159.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.51 PKR 141

307.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.36 PKR 100

341.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.49 PKR 136

202.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.24 PKR 66.7

329.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.40 PKR 110

30.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.90 PKR 530

123.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.20 PKR 55.9

580.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$9.52 PKR 2,646

19.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.84 PKR 234

273.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.33 PKR 91.0

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$3.07 PKR 854

348.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.91 PKR 254

47.25%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

58.65%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

48.08%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$100 PKR 27.9K

23.24%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.12 PKR 1,146

228.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$16.38 PKR 4,555

14.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$10.15 PKR 2,821

509.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$7.73 PKR 2,150

123.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.61 PKR 1,005

153.19%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

1626.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$965 PKR 268.4K

1544.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$11.77 PKR 3,273

405.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$18.65 PKR 5,184

88.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

28.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$28.17 PKR 7,832

198.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$133 PKR 37.0K

364.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

560.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$333 PKR 92.6K

519.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$172 PKR 47.9K

777.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

222.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$511 PKR 142.1K

413.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$173 PKR 48.2K

192.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

20.17

-73.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 192% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $95.0 per month, with Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 192% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $40.70 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 209% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $427 in Rawalpindi versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rawalpindi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rawalpindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rawalpindi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi 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.