Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $536 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Delhi, India
Phuket, Thailand
Delhi
🇮🇳 India
$536
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi 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 Delhi and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $536 per month in Delhi vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Delhi $536
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $901 per month in Delhi vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Delhi $901
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,266 per month in Delhi vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Delhi $1,266
  • Phuket $3,154

Delhi is about 58% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Delhi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.66 ₹349
$4.47 ฿151
-18.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.76 ₹1,976
$32.41 ฿1,092
-35.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.74 ₹356
$8.81 ฿297
-57.55%
Cappuccino
$2.48 ₹236
$2.83 ฿95.3
-12.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₹36.21
$0.87 ฿29.37
-56.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 ₹15.85
$0.49 ฿16.64
-65.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.04 ₹194
$2.56 ฿86.2
-20.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ₹293
$3.68 ฿124
-16.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.70 ₹66.4
$1.66 ฿55.9
-57.83%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₹49.25
$1.46 ฿49.25
-64.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 ₹78.2
$1.50 ฿50.4
-45.33%
Eggs
$1.17 ₹112
$2.09 ฿70.4
-44.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.31 ₹411
$19.07 ฿642
-77.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.36 ₹320
$3.30 ฿111
1.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.91 ฿368
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.96 ₹186
$2.93 ฿98.7
-33.11%
Banana (1kg)
$0.74 ₹70.6
$1.69 ฿56.9
-56.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.99 ₹94.1
$2.25 ฿75.7
-56.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.49 ₹46.72
$2.08 ฿70.0
-76.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.29 ₹27.29
$1.51 ฿50.9
-80.79%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 ₹38.62
$1.38 ฿46.47
-70.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.44 ₹41.94
$1.07 ฿35.91
-58.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.80
$0.52 ฿17.49
-40.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.03 ₹479
$4.20 ฿142
19.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.37 ₹796
$18.79 ฿633
-55.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 ₹159
$1.82 ฿61.4
-8.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 ₹268
$2.84 ฿95.7
-1.06%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.64 ₹632
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.41 ₹38.58
$1.45 ฿48.93
-71.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.60 ₹1,485
$56.7 ฿1,909
-72.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.08 ₹102
$3.02 ฿102
-64.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₹23.74
$1.02 ฿34.29
-75.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.57 ₹149
$3.69 ฿124
-57.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 ₹106
$1.47 ฿49.70
-24.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.1K ₹1.1M
$26.8K ฿902.4K
-58.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K ₹1.9M
$26.7K ฿899.5K
-26.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$43.87 ₹4,177
$96.4 ฿3,247
-54.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.27 ₹407
$11.26 ฿380
-62.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.82 ₹649
$16.85 ฿568
-59.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.06 ₹2,481
$67.2 ฿2,266
-61.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.09 ₹771
$10.73 ฿361
-24.60%
Cinema Ticket
$5.34 ₹509
$7.50 ฿253
-28.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 ₹9,533
$476 ฿16.0K
-78.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,288 ₹217.8K
$11.3K ฿379.6K
-79.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.84 ₹2,365
$62.4 ฿2,102
-60.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.18 ₹2,779
$28.41 ฿957
2.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.2 ₹5,062
$94.3 ฿3,178
-43.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$44.74 ₹4,260
$85.8 ฿2,892
-47.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$277 ₹26.4K
$716 ฿24.1K
-61.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 ₹15.1K
$491 ฿16.5K
-67.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$798 ₹76.0K
$1,927 ฿64.9K
-58.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$420 ₹40.0K
$1,431 ฿48.2K
-70.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,558 ₹243.6K
$4,175 ฿140.7K
-38.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,172 ₹111.6K
$3,045 ฿102.6K
-61.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delhi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$598 ₹57.0K
$502 ฿16.9K
19.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.35
5.57
49.91%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$159
Phuket
$491 209% $332
Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$108
Phuket
$266 146% $158
Eating Out
Delhi
$89
Phuket
$122 36.9% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$68
Phuket
$122 78.3% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$55
Phuket
$124 127% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$37
Phuket
$82 124% $45
Getting Around
Delhi
$20
Phuket
$71 261% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $277 in Delhi versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Delhi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Delhi versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $266 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Delhi
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
15:09 3:09 PM
16:39 4:39 PM
1 h 30 min ahead of Delhi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,787,941 Capital
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 95.21 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.41 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Delhi Phuket 3,200 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Delhi
  • 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
Delhi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Delhi and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $536 in Delhi, $1,278 in Phuket – Delhi comes out roughly 58% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Delhi compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $803 per month in Delhi and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Delhi and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $277 there versus $716 in Phuket.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Delhi and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Delhi or Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $536 in Delhi and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Delhi about 58% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $536, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Delhi or Phuket?
Families tend to lean toward Delhi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Delhi or Phuket?
For expats, Delhi is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 58% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Delhi vs other spots: cost of living compared

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