Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sahiwal Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sahiwal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $364 in Sahiwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $557 in Sahiwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $749 in Sahiwal.

Living in Phuket is roughly 247% more expensive than Sahiwal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sahiwal 73% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 ฿149
$1.81 PKR 503
151.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 ฿1,519
$10.51 PKR 2,923
343.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 ฿276
$4.19 PKR 1,166
102.15%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.55 PKR 710
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.77 PKR 1,047
-
Cappuccino
$3.03 ฿98.6
$1.73 PKR 481
75.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.45
$0.33 PKR 91.6
109.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.92
$0.19 PKR 54.1
94.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 ฿81.0
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿119
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 ฿71.0
$0.63 PKR 176
246.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 ฿62.0
$0.41 PKR 114
363.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 ฿71.6
$1.12 PKR 311
96.43%
Eggs
$2.22 ฿72.4
$1.15 PKR 321
93.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 ฿651
$6.09 PKR 1,692
228.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 ฿119
$3.05 PKR 847
20.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 ฿432
$4.39 PKR 1,222
201.82%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿105
$1.03 PKR 286
213.59%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.3
$0.64 PKR 178
165.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 ฿78.0
$0.36 PKR 101
563.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿67.7
$0.45 PKR 125
362.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿51.8
$0.32 PKR 90.1
396.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 ฿48.31
$0.49 PKR 136
202.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 ฿33.54
$0.47 PKR 131
119.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿16.83
$0.33 PKR 93.0
57.58%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.93 PKR 259
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.54 PKR 151
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.12 PKR 310
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 ฿138
$1.93 PKR 537
120.21%
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
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 ฿44.32
$0.18 PKR 50.7
655.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 ฿370
$7.05 PKR 1,959
61.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 ฿102
$0.74 PKR 207
324.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿33.74
$0.49 PKR 136
112.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 ฿448
$1.73 PKR 482
695.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿43.79
$0.90 PKR 251
48.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K ฿901.4K
$17.8K PKR 5.0M
55.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$23.3K PKR 6.5M
45.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 ฿4,025
$71.4 PKR 19.8K
73.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 ฿440
$5.47 PKR 1,520
147.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 ฿609
$17.54 PKR 4,877
6.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 ฿2,013
$12.32 PKR 3,426
401.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 ฿562
$5.81 PKR 1,616
196.90%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 ฿298
$3.55 PKR 988
157.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 ฿22.9K
$17.89 PKR 4,974
3827.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿517.0K
$1,244 PKR 345.9K
1175.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 ฿1,937
$13.90 PKR 3,864
327.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 ฿1,142
$12.25 PKR 3,407
186.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,754
$73.5 PKR 20.4K
56.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 ฿2,737
$28.62 PKR 7,958
193.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 ฿20.1K
$74.6 PKR 20.7K
729.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 ฿14.1K
$51.3 PKR 14.3K
743.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 ฿67.2K
$166 PKR 46.2K
1140.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 ฿49.2K
$107 PKR 29.7K
1314.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 ฿118.7K
$816 PKR 227.0K
346.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 ฿85.5K
$511 PKR 142.1K
413.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
19.88
-73.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $74.6 in Sahiwal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Sahiwal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $87.0 per month, with Sahiwal 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 Sahiwal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sahiwal cheaper than Phuket?
Sahiwal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 247% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $546 in Sahiwal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Sahiwal?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $74.6 in Sahiwal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $17.89 in Sahiwal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Sahiwal?
Supermarket bills run roughly 238% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Sahiwal?
At $364 in Sahiwal versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sahiwal but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sahiwal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sahiwal more family-friendly?
For families, Sahiwal 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Sahiwal?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sahiwal 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sahiwal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 247% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

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