Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Thailand

Name: Thailand
Address: TH

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $990 in Thailand, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

19

Cost of Living Index in India
Learn more

India Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Thailand
Learn more

Thailand Living Index

Jump to prices

🇮🇳 India

$399

/mo nomad

🇹🇭 Thailand

$990

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Thailand

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $399 in India versus $990 in Thailand.

India $399
Thailand $990

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in India versus $1,614 in Thailand.

India $639
Thailand $1,614

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $879 in India versus $2,238 in Thailand.

India $879
Thailand $2,238

Internal cost variation is higher in Thailand: monthly costs span $608 to $2,241, compared to $230–$813 in India. City choice carries more weight in Thailand.

Living in India costs about 60% less than in Thailand on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, Thailand 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₹204

$2.98 ฿101

-28.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.46 ₹995

$26.37 ฿890

-60.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 ₹361

$6.69 ฿226

-43.20%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ₹160

$2.02 ฿68.0

-16.83%

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

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.66 ฿22.18

-42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.61

$0.33 ฿11.11

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 ₹178

$2.26 ฿76.4

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₹303

$3.65 ฿123

-12.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹59.2

$1.79 ฿60.4

-65.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.77

$1.34 ฿45.11

-62.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.3

$1.23 ฿41.34

-48.78%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.3

$2.03 ฿68.5

-52.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.85 ₹461

$16.57 ฿559

-70.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 ₹271

$2.98 ฿100

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₹190

$2.96 ฿100.0

-32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.4

$1.26 ฿42.40

-48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹92.3

$2.03 ฿68.4

-52.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.31

$1.71 ฿57.8

-72.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹31.88

$1.47 ฿49.56

-76.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.73

$1.32 ฿44.38

-68.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹44.40

$1.14 ฿38.44

-58.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.68

$0.48 ฿16.32

-35.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 ₹483

$4.27 ฿144

18.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.31 ₹695

$16.99 ฿573

-56.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₹155

$1.66 ฿56.1

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₹262

$2.74 ฿92.6

0.73%

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

$5.11 ₹486

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₹24.86

$0.91 ฿30.84

-71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 ₹816

$34.94 ฿1,179

-75.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 ₹94.7

$1.16 ฿39.25

-13.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.74

$1.16 ฿39.01

-76.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₹146

$5.77 ฿195

-73.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹102

$1.34 ฿45.28

-20.15%

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

$11.2K ₹1.1M

$30.7K ฿1.0M

-63.42%

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

$20.1K ₹1.9M

$26.6K ฿896.9K

-24.57%

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

$37.08 ₹3,527

$81.7 ฿2,757

-54.63%

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

$3.58 ₹341

$12.47 ฿421

-71.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.15 ₹680

$18.20 ฿614

-60.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.00 ₹1,427

$50.2 ฿1,692

-70.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.17 ₹682

$11.64 ฿393

-38.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.20 ₹304

$6.41 ฿216

-50.08%

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

$58.8 ₹5,593

$558 ฿18.8K

-89.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,667 ₹158.5K

$12.3K ฿415.3K

-86.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.03 ₹2,191

$52.3 ฿1,765

-55.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.17 ₹2,299

$31.83 ฿1,074

-24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.20 ₹3,919

$88.2 ฿2,977

-53.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.62 ₹2,817

$78.5 ฿2,649

-62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$146 ₹13.9K

$495 ฿16.7K

-70.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.4 ₹9,166

$320 ฿10.8K

-69.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 ₹32.6K

$1,355 ฿45.7K

-74.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹22.2K

$771 ฿26.0K

-69.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,177 ₹111.9K

$3,611 ฿121.8K

-67.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$633 ₹60.2K

$2,072 ฿69.9K

-69.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 ₹38.9K

$562 ฿19.0K

-27.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.93

5.67

57.50%

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

Last update for India: October 25, 2026

Last update for Thailand: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

India

$102 25.6%

Thailand

$246 24.8% 140% $143

Accommodation & Living

India

$96 24.1%

Thailand

$320 32.3% 232% $223

Eating Out

India

$67 16.7%

Thailand

$91 9.2% 36.3% $24

Clothing & Footwear

India

$53 13.3%

Thailand

$113 11.4% 113% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

India

$48 12%

Thailand

$112 11.4% 135% $65

Sport & Entertainment

India

$21 5.4%

Thailand

$63 6.4% 194% $42

Getting Around

India

$12 3%

Thailand

$46 4.6% 280% $34

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $120 in India, $463 in Thailand. Capital cities: $277 in Delhi vs $713 in Bangkok.

National salary averages: $412 in India, $612 in Thailand. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 286% higher in Thailand.

Dining out costs 145% more in Thailand.

Public transport is 438% more expensive in Thailand.

Salaries are 49% higher in Thailand, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know

🇮🇳 India

🇹🇭 Thailand

🕒 Local time

10:24 10:24 AM

11:54 11:54 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of India

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,326,093,247

66,188,503

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.51 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.12 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.61 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

India Thailand 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

India
Thailand

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

India vs Thailand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $399 per month in India and $990 in Thailand, there’s a 148% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $463 in Thailand and $120 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Thailand it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: India wins on affordability; Thailand may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.