Cost of Living Comparison Between Imphal and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Imphal and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $351 in Imphal versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $584 in Imphal versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $817 in Imphal versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Imphal costs roughly 72% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Imphal 75% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ₹198

$4.66 ฿154

-55.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.31 ₹794

$32.22 ฿1,065

-74.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 ₹424

$8.68 ฿287

-48.85%

Cappuccino

$0.72 ₹68.9

$2.90 ฿95.8

-75.17%

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

$0.45 ₹43.04

$0.84 ฿27.89

-46.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.66

$0.49 ฿16.16

-71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₹103

$2.48 ฿82.0

-56.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₹299

$3.73 ฿123

-16.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ₹67.9

$1.89 ฿62.3

-62.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ₹77.9

$1.41 ฿46.54

-41.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.62

$1.62 ฿53.6

-72.84%

Eggs

$1.30 ₹124

$2.24 ฿74.1

-41.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.67 ₹446

$19.84 ฿656

-76.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.81 ₹269

$3.48 ฿115

-19.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 ₹242

$2.90 ฿95.8

-12.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.4

$1.72 ฿57.0

-61.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ₹89.2

$2.27 ฿75.1

-59.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.88

$2.13 ฿70.4

-77.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹39.63

$1.47 ฿48.72

-72.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.69

$1.42 ฿46.92

-73.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹49.83

$1.10 ฿36.25

-52.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₹23.96

$0.60 ฿19.76

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 ₹491

$4.31 ฿142

19.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 ₹1,103

$18.60 ฿615

-37.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₹143

$1.80 ฿59.5

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ₹136

$2.97 ฿98.0

-52.19%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.43 ₹519

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₹29.18

$2.25 ฿74.2

-86.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.34 ₹701

$23.49 ฿776

-68.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 ₹104

$3.10 ฿102

-64.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.87

$1.08 ฿35.56

-69.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₹147

$3.87 ฿128

-60.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹108

$1.43 ฿47.16

-20.98%

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

$11.4K ₹1.1M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-59.01%

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

$21.8K ₹2.1M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-19.06%

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

$68.3 ₹6,528

$105 ฿3,462

-34.80%

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

$3.25 ₹310

$11.39 ฿376

-71.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.11 ₹489

$17.54 ฿580

-70.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.19 ₹496

$54.3 ฿1,795

-90.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.54 ₹147

$11.44 ฿378

-86.54%

Cinema Ticket

$2.67 ₹255

$7.78 ฿257

-65.68%

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

$14.33 ₹1,369

$576 ฿19.0K

-97.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,397 ₹133.5K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-87.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.27 ₹2,032

$63.6 ฿2,103

-66.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.79 ₹1,986

$29.10 ฿961

-28.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.21 ₹2,982

$96.2 ฿3,179

-67.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.79 ₹3,037

$90.0 ฿2,974

-64.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$91.1 ₹8,704

$733 ฿24.2K

-87.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$42.33 ₹4,044

$501 ฿16.5K

-91.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₹23.9K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-88.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ₹17.6K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-85.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$420 ₹40.1K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-88.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$260 ₹24.9K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-90.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$187 ₹17.9K

$508 ฿16.8K

-63.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.35

5.57

157.63%

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

Last update for Imphal: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $91.1 in Imphal and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 171% 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: $8.00 in Imphal vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $114 vs $275 per month, with Imphal 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

Imphal vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imphal and Phuket differ by about 261% in total monthly costs ($351 vs $1,265 including rent). Imphal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 171% lower in Phuket. 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: $91.1 in Imphal versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 142% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imphal – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $351 in Imphal versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Imphal but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Imphal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Imphal 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 Imphal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 261% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.