🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $388 in Amritsar versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $588 in Amritsar versus $2,297 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $789 in Amritsar versus $3,329 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Amritsar costs roughly 69% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Amritsar71% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.39₹229
$4.70฿154
-49.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.03₹960
$45.37฿1,483
-77.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.54₹339
$8.43฿276
-58.01%
Cappuccino
$1.72₹165
$2.93฿95.7
-41.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39₹37.49
$0.69฿22.42
-43.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20₹19.13
$0.37฿12.00
-45.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72₹165
$2.41฿78.7
-28.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96₹283
$3.72฿122
-20.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.67₹63.7
$2.23฿73.0
-69.96%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57₹54.8
$1.83฿59.9
-68.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.89₹84.9
$2.17฿70.9
-58.99%
Eggs
$0.87₹83.6
$2.21฿72.4
-60.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.73₹452
$19.74฿645
-76.04%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.01₹288
$3.63฿119
-17.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$13.53฿442
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.54₹147
$3.28฿107
-53.05%
Banana(1kg)
$0.75₹71.5
$1.61฿52.7
-53.42%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.69₹66.3
$2.41฿78.7
-71.37%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.43₹40.98
$2.08฿68.1
-79.33%
Potato(1kg)
$0.35₹33.28
$1.53฿49.97
-77.12%
Onion(1kg)
$0.45₹43.09
$1.48฿48.41
-69.59%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.36₹34.61
$0.99฿32.32
-63.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32₹30.15
$0.51฿16.68
-37.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16₹399
$4.41฿144
-5.67%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.76₹934
$19.38฿634
-49.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68₹160
$1.78฿58.1
-5.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84₹272
$2.71฿88.7
4.80%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.17₹495
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.43₹40.73
$1.37฿44.83
-68.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.41₹2,240
$11.39฿372
105.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.77₹73.7
$3.02฿98.7
-74.50%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.24₹23.04
$0.99฿32.51
-75.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.31₹126
$14.10฿461
-90.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.17₹112
$1.36฿44.55
-13.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.0K₹1.3M
$28.2K฿921.9K
-50.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.4K₹2.8M
$32.9K฿1.1M
-10.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$47.82₹4,576
$122฿3,978
-60.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.48₹333
$13.57฿444
-74.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.13₹682
$18.31฿599
-61.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.16₹2,408
$60.2฿1,969
-58.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.15₹397
$17.14฿560
-75.79%
Cinema Ticket
$2.88₹275
$8.69฿284
-66.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$35.21₹3,370
$693฿22.7K
-94.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$605₹57.9K
$15.7K฿512.8K
-96.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.32₹2,327
$59.5฿1,946
-59.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.64₹2,262
$34.77฿1,137
-32.01%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$49.44₹4,731
$115฿3,746
-56.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.23₹3,180
$83.3฿2,723
-60.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$68.7₹6,577
$613฿20.0K
-88.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$34.68₹3,319
$437฿14.3K
-92.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$129₹12.3K
$2,094฿68.5K
-93.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$86.6₹8,288
$1,509฿49.3K
-94.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$810₹77.5K
$3,749฿122.6K
-78.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$624₹59.7K
$2,616฿85.5K
-76.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Amritsar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$522₹49.9K
$508฿16.6K
2.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.3
5.33
55.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Amritsar: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $68.7 in Amritsar and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Amritsar pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $10.00 in Amritsar vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $293 per month, with Amritsar 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
Amritsar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Amritsar or Phuket?
Amritsar wins on cost – living expenses run 226% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Amritsar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Amritsar or Phuket?
Amritsar pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Amritsar vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $68.7 in Amritsar versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Amritsar vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Amritsar – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Amritsar compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $388 per month in Amritsar versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Amritsar or Phuket?
At $388 in Amritsar versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Amritsar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Amritsar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Amritsar or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Amritsar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $388 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Amritsar hard to pass up.
How safe is Amritsar compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Amritsar 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Amritsar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 226% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.