Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skardu and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Skardu: $426 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

22

Cost of Living Index in Skardu
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Skardu Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Skardu

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$426

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Skardu and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Skardu and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Skardu versus $1,208 in Phuket.

Skardu $426
Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $636 in Skardu versus $2,027 in Phuket.

Skardu $636
Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $847 in Skardu versus $2,845 in Phuket.

Skardu $847
Phuket $2,845

Living in Skardu costs roughly 65% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skardu 69% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 PKR 509

$4.40 ฿147

-58.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.31 PKR 3,132

$32.26 ฿1,078

-64.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 PKR 1,286

$8.76 ฿293

-46.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 PKR 753

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 PKR 1,415

Cappuccino

$1.68 PKR 464

$2.83 ฿94.5

-40.64%

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

$0.31 PKR 84.5

$0.90 ฿30.14

-65.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 PKR 50.3

$0.47 ฿15.56

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 PKR 238

$1.73 ฿57.7

-50.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 164

$1.47 ฿49.11

-59.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 PKR 320

$1.51 ฿50.6

-23.18%

Eggs

$1.20 PKR 333

$2.17 ฿72.7

-44.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 PKR 1,494

$19.70 ฿658

-72.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.50 PKR 691

$3.34 ฿112

-25.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 PKR 1,389

$11.16 ฿373

-55.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 PKR 305

$2.85 ฿95.1

-61.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 149

$1.70 ฿56.9

-68.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 PKR 220

$2.19 ฿73.3

-63.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$2.05 ฿68.4

-73.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 76.3

$1.45 ฿48.57

-80.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 97.5

$1.38 ฿46.16

-74.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 PKR 127

$1.07 ฿35.69

-57.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$0.51 ฿16.91

-25.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.59 PKR 441

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 PKR 295

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 563

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 PKR 580

$4.26 ฿142

-50.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.37

$2.26 ฿75.6

-92.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.06 PKR 2,509

$22.10 ฿738

-59.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 343

$3.01 ฿101

-58.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 PKR 196

$1.06 ฿35.34

-33.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PKR 506

$3.86 ฿129

-52.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 PKR 327

$1.45 ฿48.45

-18.62%

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

$19.1K PKR 5.3M

$26.3K ฿879.9K

-27.61%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$26.9K ฿900.4K

-2.68%

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

$87.8 PKR 24.3K

$96.4 ฿3,221

-8.88%

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

$3.60 PKR 996

$11.04 ฿369

-67.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.36 PKR 3,697

$17.14 ฿573

-22.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.33 PKR 4,243

$52.2 ฿1,744

-70.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.98 PKR 2,208

$11.16 ฿373

-28.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 PKR 1,351

$7.81 ฿261

-37.52%

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

$47.71 PKR 13.2K

$556 ฿18.6K

-91.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,082 PKR 299.5K

$11.6K ฿387.0K

-90.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.16 PKR 5,304

$64.2 ฿2,146

-70.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.54 PKR 6,793

$28.69 ฿959

-14.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.7 PKR 16.5K

$95.4 ฿3,187

-37.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.15 PKR 9,451

$88.0 ฿2,940

-61.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$737 ฿24.6K

-82.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.3 PKR 21.7K

$462 ฿15.5K

-83.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 PKR 69.3K

$2,095 ฿70.0K

-88.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.4K

$1,201 ฿40.1K

-88.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,070 PKR 296.0K

$3,488 ฿116.6K

-69.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$494 PKR 136.8K

$2,523 ฿84.3K

-80.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

133.39%

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

Last update for Skardu: October 17, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Skardu

$105 24.6%

Phuket

$125 10.3% 18.9% $20

Groceries & Markets

Skardu

$90 21.2%

Phuket

$269 22.2% 198% $178

Accommodation & Living

Skardu

$78 18.4%

Phuket

$462 38.3% 491% $384

Clothing & Footwear

Skardu

$62 14.5%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 101% $62

Eating Out

Skardu

$51 11.9%

Phuket

$121 10% 139% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Skardu

$25 5.9%

Phuket

$68 5.6% 170% $43

Getting Around

Skardu

$15 3.4%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 172% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Skardu and $737 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Skardu vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $90.0 vs $269 per month, with Skardu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Skardu

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

16:42 4:42 PM

18:42 6:42 PM

2 h ahead of Skardu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

260,000

79,308

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Skardu Phuket 3,830 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Skardu
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Skardu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skardu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $638 in Skardu and $1,813 in Phuket 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $128 in Skardu versus $737 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $47.71 in Skardu versus $556 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 198% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $426 in Skardu versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Skardu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Skardu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Skardu 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, Skardu 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 Skardu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 184% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.