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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $370 in Sahiwal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $565 in Sahiwal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $761 in Sahiwal.

Living in Phuket is roughly 242% more expensive than in Sahiwal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Sahiwal 72% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48 ฿150
$1.73 PKR 481
158.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59 ฿1,525
$10.78 PKR 2,991
322.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$4.20 PKR 1,164
108.57%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.41 PKR 669
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.69 PKR 1,024
-
Cappuccino
$2.97 ฿99.3
$1.73 PKR 481
71.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.96
$0.35 PKR 97.8
97.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿13.07
$0.19 PKR 52.2
105.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.7
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿125
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 ฿71.8
$0.61 PKR 168
252.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 ฿60.7
$0.43 PKR 120
323.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 ฿73.1
$1.13 PKR 315
92.92%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.2
$1.15 PKR 320
95.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.00 ฿669
$5.89 PKR 1,635
239.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿121
$2.90 PKR 806
25.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 ฿453
$4.63 PKR 1,286
192.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 ฿109
$1.02 PKR 282
217.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿54.7
$0.61 PKR 169
168.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ฿78.0
$0.36 PKR 100
547.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 ฿69.3
$0.46 PKR 128
350.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.8
$0.33 PKR 90.9
369.70%
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.67
$0.51 PKR 142
186.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.94
$0.47 PKR 131
108.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.13
$0.34 PKR 94.0
41.18%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.11 PKR 308
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.54 PKR 150
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.12 PKR 311
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 ฿146
$1.90 PKR 526
128.95%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.57 ฿621
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.1
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ฿88.8
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 ฿47.40
$0.19 PKR 53.9
647.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.57 ฿387
$7.00 PKR 1,943
65.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 ฿106
$0.74 PKR 207
328.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ฿34.51
$0.52 PKR 144
98.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.89 ฿465
$1.81 PKR 502
667.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿44.96
$0.94 PKR 262
42.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿929.6K
$17.7K PKR 4.9M
57.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K ฿1.1M
$23.2K PKR 6.4M
43.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿4,116
$71.4 PKR 19.8K
72.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77 ฿461
$5.34 PKR 1,482
157.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33 ฿613
$17.57 PKR 4,876
4.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.7 ฿2,030
$12.55 PKR 3,484
383.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16 ฿574
$5.91 PKR 1,640
190.36%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 ฿297
$3.62 PKR 1,005
145.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 ฿23.0K
$17.38 PKR 4,824
3857.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿527.8K
$1,216 PKR 337.4K
1197.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 ฿1,984
$14.30 PKR 3,968
314.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69 ฿1,160
$12.31 PKR 3,417
181.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,853
$72.7 PKR 20.2K
58.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 ฿2,802
$28.09 PKR 7,795
198.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$621 ฿20.8K
$74.3 PKR 20.6K
736.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 ฿14.9K
$50.9 PKR 14.1K
776.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 ฿68.0K
$167 PKR 46.2K
1121.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 ฿50.0K
$108 PKR 30.0K
1284.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,455 ฿115.6K
$874 PKR 242.6K
295.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,531 ฿84.7K
$531 PKR 147.3K
376.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sahiwal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sahiwal: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $74.3 in Sahiwal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Sahiwal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $86.0 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 242% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $555 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: $621 in Phuket versus $74.3 in Sahiwal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $17.38 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 in 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 living in Phuket or in Sahiwal?
At $370 in Sahiwal versus $1,264 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 242% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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