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: $434 in Imphal versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $668 in Imphal versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $903 in Imphal versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Imphal costs roughly 65% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ₹218

$4.55 ฿153

-50.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.37 ₹808

$46.18 ฿1,553

-81.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 ₹630

$8.84 ฿297

-26.13%

Cappuccino

$0.77 ₹74.6

$3.06 ฿103

-74.84%

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

$0.48 ₹46.43

$0.73 ฿24.40

-34.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.85

$0.40 ฿13.39

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ₹203

$2.43 ฿81.8

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 ₹485

$3.78 ฿127

33.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹71.7

$2.26 ฿76.0

-67.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 ₹92.5

$1.81 ฿60.9

-46.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$2.25 ฿75.8

-77.33%

Eggs

$1.38 ₹133

$2.25 ฿75.5

-38.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.11 ₹493

$19.51 ฿656

-73.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ₹306

$3.65 ฿123

-13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ₹189

$3.23 ฿109

-39.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.3

$1.62 ฿54.4

-55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ₹94.8

$2.38 ฿80.1

-58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹52.0

$2.03 ฿68.1

-73.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.08

$1.53 ฿51.6

-71.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹52.1

$1.50 ฿50.5

-64.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹46.31

$0.98 ฿32.91

-51.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ₹38.41

$0.52 ฿17.39

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ₹396

$4.44 ฿149

-7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.40 ₹1,100

$18.32 ฿616

-37.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₹199

$1.86 ฿62.7

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₹223

$2.68 ฿90.1

-13.81%

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

$5.60 ₹540

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.79

$1.41 ฿47.46

-80.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 ₹827

$11.70 ฿393

-26.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹110

$3.11 ฿105

-63.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ₹36.80

$1.04 ฿35.06

-63.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹99.4

$14.11 ฿474

-92.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.31 ฿44.10

-9.16%

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

$13.8K ₹1.3M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-50.46%

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

$22.1K ₹2.1M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-33.40%

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

$75.2 ₹7,247

$122 ฿4,118

-38.62%

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

$3.56 ₹343

$13.59 ฿457

-73.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$4.16 ₹402

$18.70 ฿629

-77.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.35 ₹1,384

$60.5 ฿2,034

-76.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ₹381

$16.98 ฿571

-76.74%

Cinema Ticket

$2.83 ₹273

$9.07 ฿305

-68.80%

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

$50.7 ₹4,891

$706 ฿23.8K

-92.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,559 ₹150.3K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-90.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.78 ₹1,714

$58.6 ฿1,969

-69.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.84 ₹2,782

$35.36 ฿1,189

-18.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.51 ₹3,135

$115 ฿3,883

-71.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.16 ₹3,390

$83.7 ฿2,816

-58.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$125 ₹12.1K

$626 ฿21.0K

-80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.4 ₹7,466

$445 ฿15.0K

-82.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 ₹28.1K

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-85.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.2K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-88.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$420 ₹40.5K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-87.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$255 ₹24.6K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-90.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$184 ₹17.7K

$500 ฿16.8K

-63.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.35

5.33

169.23%

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

Last update for Imphal: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $125 in Imphal and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 172% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $289 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 188% in total monthly costs ($434 vs $1,250 including rent). Imphal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 172% 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: $125 in Imphal versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 134% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $434 in Imphal versus $1,250 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 188% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.