😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $452 in Sheikhupura.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $666 in Sheikhupura.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $879 in Sheikhupura.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 177% more expensive than in Sheikhupura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Sheikhupura66% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$2.75PKR 764
65.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$14.00PKR 3,888
229.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$5.17PKR 1,434
70.99%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.78PKR 496
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.79PKR 1,051
-
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$2.02PKR 560
51.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.43PKR 118
69.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.24PKR 66.7
66.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$0.59PKR 163
283.05%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$0.51PKR 141
254.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.04PKR 289
116.35%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.26PKR 350
78.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$6.22PKR 1,728
213.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$1.74PKR 482
109.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$2.77PKR 769
371.12%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$1.00PKR 277
223.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$0.82PKR 228
97.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$0.93PKR 259
155.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$0.60PKR 165
238.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$0.42PKR 116
264.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$0.56PKR 157
167.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.31PKR 85.9
216.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.38PKR 105
36.84%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.41PKR 390
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.90PKR 250
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.03PKR 563
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$2.18PKR 604
103.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
$0.19PKR 54.0
642.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
$6.96PKR 1,933
68.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$0.89PKR 248
249.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.43PKR 120
141.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$2.78PKR 773
407.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$0.93PKR 257
40.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$21.0KPKR 5.8M
32.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$25.8KPKR 7.2M
28.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$110PKR 30.6K
11.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$5.37PKR 1,492
153.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$18.52PKR 5,142
0.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
$12.58PKR 3,494
380.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
$5.89PKR 1,637
188.29%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$4.18PKR 1,161
116.99%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$60.1PKR 16.7K
1076.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$1,102PKR 306.1K
1333.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$21.12PKR 5,865
177.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$28.38PKR 7,881
24.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$88.7PKR 24.6K
30.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$39.87PKR 11.1K
110.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
$74.2PKR 20.6K
742.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
$52.3PKR 14.5K
750.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
$168PKR 46.5K
1117.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
$106PKR 29.5K
1303.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$990PKR 274.9K
251.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$543PKR 150.8K
374.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sheikhupura
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
-
-
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Sheikhupura: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $74.2 in Sheikhupura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Sheikhupura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 177% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $678 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: $626 in Phuket versus $74.2 in Sheikhupura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $60.1 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 in Sheikhupura?
Supermarket bills run roughly 259% 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 Sheikhupura?
At $452 in Sheikhupura versus $1,250 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 177% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.