Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $427 in Rawalpindi versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Rawalpindi versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $902 in Rawalpindi versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rawalpindi 68% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 485

$4.56 ฿149

-61.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.18 PKR 3,942

$46.63 ฿1,519

-69.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$8.47 ฿276

-38.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

Cappuccino

$1.67 PKR 464

$3.03 ฿98.6

-44.88%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$0.69 ฿22.45

-50.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.37 ฿11.92

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 221

$2.18 ฿71.0

-63.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.90 ฿62.0

-70.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$2.20 ฿71.6

-41.36%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$2.22 ฿72.4

-47.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,690

$19.99 ฿651

-69.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 PKR 926

$3.66 ฿119

-9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,256

$13.25 ฿432

-65.89%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 275

$3.23 ฿105

-69.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 178

$1.70 ฿55.3

-62.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$2.39 ฿78.0

-61.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$2.08 ฿67.7

-75.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 100

$1.59 ฿51.8

-77.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$1.48 ฿48.31

-66.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$1.03 ฿33.54

-76.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.52 ฿16.83

-23.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 530

$4.25 ฿138

-55.29%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$1.36 ฿44.32

-85.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,646

$11.36 ฿370

-16.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$3.14 ฿102

-73.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$1.04 ฿33.74

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 854

$13.77 ฿448

-77.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.34 ฿43.79

-32.09%

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

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-36.97%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-32.47%

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

$100 PKR 27.9K

$124 ฿4,025

-18.86%

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

$4.12 PKR 1,146

$13.52 ฿440

-69.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.38 PKR 4,555

$18.69 ฿609

-12.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 PKR 2,821

$61.8 ฿2,013

-83.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 PKR 2,150

$17.25 ฿562

-55.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,005

$9.14 ฿298

-60.50%

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

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

$703 ฿22.9K

-94.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$965 PKR 268.4K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-93.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 PKR 3,273

$59.5 ฿1,937

-80.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.65 PKR 5,184

$35.07 ฿1,142

-46.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

$115 ฿3,754

-22.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.17 PKR 7,832

$84.1 ฿2,737

-66.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 37.0K

$619 ฿20.1K

-78.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

$433 ฿14.1K

-84.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 PKR 92.6K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-83.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.9K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-88.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-69.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 142.1K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-80.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.2K

$507 ฿16.5K

-65.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

5.33

278.42%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 192% 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: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $293 per month, with Rawalpindi 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

Rawalpindi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 192% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $133 in Rawalpindi versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $40.70 in Rawalpindi versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 209% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $427 in Rawalpindi versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rawalpindi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rawalpindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rawalpindi 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, Rawalpindi and Phuket 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 Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.