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 $490 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $771 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,053 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 157% more expensive than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Rawalpindi 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$1.93 PKR 534

129.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$16.12 PKR 4,469

117.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$5.95 PKR 1,651

50.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 PKR 507

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 PKR 966

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.00 PKR 555

50.00%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.40 PKR 111

92.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.24 PKR 66.7

95.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.85 PKR 234

114.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.58 PKR 162

144.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.27 PKR 353

22.05%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.17 PKR 326

82.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$6.15 PKR 1,706

221.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.41 PKR 945

2.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$4.96 PKR 1,375

123.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.13 PKR 312

157.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$0.85 PKR 236

95.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.23 PKR 342

84.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$0.54 PKR 149

288.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.33 PKR 92.3

345.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.44 PKR 122

220.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.31 PKR 85.7

251.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.42 PKR 117

28.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.20 PKR 4,492

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 PKR 332

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 PKR 660

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.00 PKR 555

124.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.16 PKR 45.32

1312.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$10.11 PKR 2,804

128.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.88 PKR 245

245.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.36 PKR 100

202.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$3.14 PKR 871

21.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.13 PKR 313

31.86%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$18.1K PKR 5.0M

51.36%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$24.2K PKR 6.7M

13.72%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$113 PKR 31.3K

-9.90%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$5.51 PKR 1,527

104.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$18.24 PKR 5,058

-2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$12.15 PKR 3,369

345.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$6.86 PKR 1,903

59.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$4.36 PKR 1,209

80.05%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$50.0 PKR 13.9K

1053.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$838 PKR 232.3K

1288.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$20.33 PKR 5,637

221.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$28.49 PKR 7,901

1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$91.2 PKR 25.3K

8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$36.76 PKR 10.2K

145.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$200 PKR 55.5K

277.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$83.4 PKR 23.1K

484.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$419 PKR 116.2K

397.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$223 PKR 61.7K

442.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,138 PKR 315.6K

215.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$513 PKR 142.2K

408.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$173 PKR 48.1K

189.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

22.81

-75.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $200 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 190% 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $101 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, Getting Around. The 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 190% 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: $756 in Phuket versus $200 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $577 in Phuket versus $50.0 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 169% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $490 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 157% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.