Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Meerut and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Meerut: $381 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Meerut, India
Phuket, Thailand
Meerut
🇮🇳 India
$381
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $381 per month in Meerut vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Meerut $381
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $588 per month in Meerut vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Meerut $588
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $795 per month in Meerut vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Meerut $795
  • Phuket $3,154

Meerut is about 70% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Meerut and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Meerut 72% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 ₹291
$4.47 ฿151
-31.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.38 ₹989
$32.41 ฿1,094
-67.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.61 ₹249
$8.81 ฿297
-70.37%
Cappuccino
$1.88 ₹179
$2.83 ฿95.5
-33.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₹31.89
$0.87 ฿29.43
-62.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 ₹12.95
$0.49 ฿16.67
-71.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.56 ₹148
$2.56 ฿86.4
-39.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₹167
$3.68 ฿124
-52.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.63 ₹60.3
$1.66 ฿56.0
-62.05%
White Bread (500g)
$0.47 ₹44.44
$1.46 ฿49.35
-67.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 ₹72.9
$1.50 ฿50.6
-48.67%
Eggs
$0.90 ₹86.1
$2.09 ฿70.5
-56.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.44 ₹328
$19.07 ฿644
-81.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$1.90 ₹181
$3.30 ฿111
-42.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.91 ฿368
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ₹115
$2.93 ฿99.0
-58.70%
Banana (1kg)
$0.67 ₹63.5
$1.69 ฿57.1
-60.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.62 ₹58.8
$2.25 ฿75.8
-72.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.47 ₹45.02
$2.08 ฿70.1
-77.40%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 ₹28.72
$1.51 ฿51.0
-80.13%
Onion (1kg)
$0.35 ₹32.90
$1.38 ฿46.56
-74.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.36 ₹34.19
$1.07 ฿35.99
-66.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.29 ₹27.77
$0.52 ฿17.52
-44.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.75 ₹452
$4.20 ฿142
13.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.77 ₹931
$18.79 ฿634
-48.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 ₹130
$1.82 ฿61.5
-24.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 ₹190
$2.84 ฿95.9
-29.58%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$2.91 ₹278
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 ₹29.10
$1.45 ฿49.03
-78.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.27 ₹597
$56.7 ฿1,913
-88.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.56 ₹52.9
$3.02 ฿102
-81.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₹20.96
$1.02 ฿34.36
-78.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.07 ₹101
$3.69 ฿125
-71.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 ₹99.1
$1.47 ฿49.81
-29.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$8,504 ₹809.8K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
-68.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$12.4K ₹1.2M
$26.7K ฿901.3K
-53.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$36.26 ₹3,452
$96.4 ฿3,254
-62.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.07 ₹293
$11.26 ฿380
-72.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.06 ₹482
$16.85 ฿569
-69.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$10.31 ₹982
$67.2 ฿2,270
-84.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.13 ₹1,155
$10.73 ฿362
13.05%
Cinema Ticket
$3.77 ₹359
$7.50 ฿253
-49.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$31.45 ₹2,994
$476 ฿16.1K
-93.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,265 ₹120.5K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
-88.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.16 ₹2,396
$62.4 ฿2,106
-59.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.73 ₹2,260
$28.41 ฿959
-16.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$39.75 ₹3,785
$94.3 ฿3,184
-57.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.76 ₹3,786
$85.8 ฿2,898
-53.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$152 ₹14.5K
$716 ฿24.2K
-78.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$94.1 ₹8,956
$491 ฿16.6K
-80.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$712 ₹67.8K
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-63.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$178 ₹17.0K
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-87.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$661 ₹62.9K
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-84.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$239 ₹22.8K
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-92.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Meerut
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$467 ₹44.4K
$502 ฿17.0K
-7.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.73
5.57
56.73%

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

Last update for Meerut: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Meerut
$94
Phuket
$491 422% $397
Groceries & Markets
Meerut
$89
Phuket
$266 198% $177
Eating Out
Meerut
$68
Phuket
$122 78.8% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Meerut
$58
Phuket
$122 111% $64
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Meerut
$44
Phuket
$124 180% $80
Sport & Entertainment
Meerut
$18
Phuket
$82 361% $64
Getting Around
Meerut
$9.2
Phuket
$71 671% $61

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Meerut 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 8% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10 in Meerut versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $89 vs $266 – making Meerut the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Meerut
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
03:20 3:20 AM
04:50 4:50 AM
1 h 30 min ahead of Meerut
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
500,000
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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.22 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 = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Meerut Phuket 3,190 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Meerut
  • 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
Meerut vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Meerut or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 236% more than Meerut, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Meerut and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $571 per month in Meerut and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Meerut or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Meerut, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $152 there versus $716 in Phuket.
How do dining costs compare in Meerut and in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $10 in Meerut and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Meerut compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $381 in Meerut and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Meerut about 70% cheaper.
Can you live on $800/month in Meerut or in Phuket?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Meerut, where all-in costs run around $381, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Meerut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Meerut – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Meerut or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Meerut. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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