😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $448 in Sheikhupura.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $663 in Sheikhupura.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $877 in Sheikhupura.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 182% more expensive than Sheikhupura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Sheikhupura67% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿153
$2.77PKR 769
69.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,482
$13.92PKR 3,873
225.93%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿275
$5.33PKR 1,484
58.16%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.79PKR 497
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.92PKR 1,090
-
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.6
$2.01PKR 560
45.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.40
$0.43PKR 119
60.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.99
$0.22PKR 60.8
68.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.6
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿72.9
$0.58PKR 163
284.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.8
$0.54PKR 151
238.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.8
$1.04PKR 291
108.65%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.3
$1.22PKR 339
81.15%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$6.12PKR 1,703
222.55%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$1.80PKR 500
101.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$2.91PKR 809
364.95%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$0.99PKR 276
231.31%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.6
$0.77PKR 214
109.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.6
$0.95PKR 265
153.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$0.60PKR 168
246.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.93
$0.38PKR 107
302.63%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.36
$0.58PKR 161
155.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.29
$0.31PKR 85.2
219.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.67
$0.41PKR 113
24.39%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.36PKR 378
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.86PKR 240
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.05PKR 569
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$2.14PKR 596
106.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿633
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.6
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.79
$0.19PKR 51.8
621.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$7.17PKR 1,995
58.86%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.6
$0.85PKR 237
255.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.48
$0.43PKR 121
130.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$2.80PKR 780
403.57%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.51
$0.95PKR 266
43.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.1K
$21.2KPKR 5.9M
32.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.2KPKR 7.3M
25.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,975
$114PKR 31.8K
6.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿443
$5.36PKR 1,491
153.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿598
$18.95PKR 5,273
-3.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,967
$12.21PKR 3,395
393.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$5.99PKR 1,667
186.14%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$4.13PKR 1,150
110.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.6K
$60.3PKR 16.8K
1049.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.3K
$1,086PKR 302.2K
1344.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,944
$21.57PKR 6,002
175.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,136
$28.42PKR 7,906
22.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,743
$88.8PKR 24.7K
29.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,720
$40.86PKR 11.4K
103.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$76.0PKR 21.1K
706.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$52.2PKR 14.5K
737.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.4K
$167PKR 46.4K
1156.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$105PKR 29.1K
1341.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.5K
$847PKR 235.5K
342.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.4K
$493PKR 137.2K
430.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
20.2
-73.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Sheikhupura: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $76.0 in Sheikhupura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Sheikhupura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $81.0 per month, with Sheikhupura 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 Sheikhupura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sheikhupura cheaper than Phuket?
Sheikhupura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 182% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $672 in Sheikhupura 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 Sheikhupura?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $76.0 in Sheikhupura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $60.3 in Sheikhupura. 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 Sheikhupura?
Supermarket bills run roughly 261% 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 Sheikhupura?
At $448 in Sheikhupura versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sheikhupura but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sheikhupura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sheikhupura more family-friendly?
For families, Sheikhupura 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 Sheikhupura?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sheikhupura 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 Sheikhupura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.