Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,679 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,929 in Indianapolis, IN versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,179 in Indianapolis, IN versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Indianapolis, IN is roughly 112% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Indianapolis, IN is 101% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.48 $25.48

$4.48 ฿150

468.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 $75.3

$45.59 ฿1,525

65.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$8.76 ฿293

23.17%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$2.97 ฿99.3

78.11%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$0.69 ฿22.96

317.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.39 ฿13.07

505.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.53 ฿84.7

133.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.75 ฿125

114.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$2.15 ฿71.8

-64.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.82 ฿60.7

62.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.18 ฿73.1

135.78%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$2.25 ฿75.2

58.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$20.00 ฿669

-53.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$3.63 ฿121

202.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.62 $14.62

$13.56 ฿453

7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.24 ฿109

58.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.64 ฿54.7

-20.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.33 ฿78.0

154.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.07 ฿69.3

52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.55 ฿51.8

38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.46 ฿48.67

82.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.98 ฿32.94

86.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.48 ฿16.13

325.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.14 $9.14

$4.35 ฿146

110.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.36 $15.36

$18.57 ฿621

-17.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.86 ฿62.1

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.65 ฿88.8

-14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.42 ฿47.40

21.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$11.57 ฿387

411.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.17 ฿106

-35.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.03 ฿34.51

67.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.96 $33.96

$13.89 ฿465

144.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.34 ฿44.96

-32.84%

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

$33.3K $33.3K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

19.77%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-25.88%

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

$239 $239

$123 ฿4,116

94.40%

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

$64.2 $64.2

$13.77 ฿461

365.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$18.33 ฿613

303.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 $36.08

$60.7 ฿2,030

-40.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.38 $31.38

$17.16 ฿574

82.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 $14.53

$8.87 ฿297

63.81%

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

$1,738 $1,738

$688 ฿23.0K

152.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K $27.0K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

70.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.07 $48.07

$59.3 ฿1,984

-18.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.14 $41.14

$34.69 ฿1,160

18.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 $98.3

$115 ฿3,853

-14.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$83.8 ฿2,802

50.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,754 $1,754

$621 ฿20.8K

182.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 $1,300

$446 ฿14.9K

191.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,808 $2,808

$2,034 ฿68.0K

38.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,083 $2,083

$1,496 ฿50.0K

39.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,743 $2,743

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-20.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 $1,922

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-24.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,597 $4,597

$494 ฿16.5K

831.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,754 in Indianapolis, IN and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 831% 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: $75.0 in Indianapolis, IN vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $291 per month, with Phuket 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

Indianapolis, IN vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 112% lower than in Indianapolis, IN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 831% higher in Indianapolis, IN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,754 in Indianapolis, IN versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $75.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,679 per month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,679 in Indianapolis, IN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Indianapolis, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,264 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Indianapolis, IN 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.