Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Swabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Swabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $376 in Swabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $606 in Swabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $837 in Swabi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 233% more expensive than in Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Swabi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.69 PKR 1,024

23.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$22.59 PKR 6,264

44.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$2.83 PKR 786

214.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 PKR 1,009

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 PKR 492

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$0.57 PKR 157

391.23%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.28 PKR 77.5

214.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.13 PKR 36.56

276.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$0.67 PKR 186

167.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.33 PKR 92.3

336.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$0.91 PKR 253

73.63%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.10 PKR 305

93.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$5.80 PKR 1,609

243.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$2.41 PKR 668

42.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$2.83 PKR 783

300.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$0.55 PKR 154

436.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.34 PKR 95.5

405.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$0.52 PKR 144

346.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.30 PKR 84.1

593.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$0.16 PKR 43.65

818.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.36 PKR 98.8

277.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.27 PKR 74.2

307.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.30 PKR 84.4

90.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 195

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 656

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.27 PKR 630

88.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.17 PKR 46.93

1205.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$10.77 PKR 2,985

112.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.71 PKR 196

326.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.20 PKR 55.9

435.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$1.59 PKR 441

147.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$0.98 PKR 272

52.04%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$10.9K PKR 3.0M

148.13%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$12.7K PKR 3.5M

115.53%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$54.5 PKR 15.1K

88.66%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$3.57 PKR 989

207.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$16.23 PKR 4,501

7.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$14.76 PKR 4,091

262.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.97 PKR 1,378

50.50%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$17.75 PKR 4,922

3037.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$1,011 PKR 280.2K

1072.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$3.72 PKR 1,030

1622.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$32.47 PKR 9,003

-10.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$83.5 PKR 23.1K

14.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$40.20 PKR 11.1K

124.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$128 PKR 35.4K

472.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

559.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$248 PKR 68.7K

743.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$147 PKR 40.6K

724.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$983 PKR 272.5K

265.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$580 PKR 160.8K

333.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$160 PKR 44.3K

215.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.08

-57.42%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Swabi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $128 in Swabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 215% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $23.00 in Swabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $70.0 per month, with Swabi 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 Swabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swabi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 233% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 215% 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: $730 in Phuket versus $128 in Swabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $17.75 in Swabi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 288% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $376 in Swabi versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Swabi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Swabi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Swabi 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 Swabi 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 Swabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 233% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.