Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chengalpattu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chengalpattu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $382 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $610 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $837 in Chengalpattu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 231% more than Chengalpattu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Chengalpattu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Chengalpattu 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$2.29 ₹219

105.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$10.38 ₹994

337.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$3.64 ₹349

131.59%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.53 ₹147

91.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.40 ₹38.23

72.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.19 ₹18.55

94.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.71 ₹164

40.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.05 ₹292

21.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.70 ₹67.0

218.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.48 ₹46.25

281.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.67 ₹64.6

223.88%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.07 ₹103

106.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.94 ₹473

299.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.07 ₹294

18.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.08 ₹199

57.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.68 ₹65.1

136.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.00 ₹96.0

141.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.54 ₹51.3

285.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.39 ₹37.04

292.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.44 ₹42.59

236.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.46 ₹43.58

115.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.32 ₹30.21

59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.88 ₹371

13.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$4.38 ₹420

342.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.70 ₹162

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.86 ₹274

-5.24%

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

$5.24 ₹502

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.30 ₹29.08

356.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$8.55 ₹819

33.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.78 ₹75.0

287.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.24 ₹22.87

312.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.48 ₹141

852.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.24 ₹119

9.68%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

106.04%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.6K ₹2.1M

52.63%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$39.49 ₹3,782

208.18%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$3.50 ₹335

287.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$7.29 ₹698

151.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$16.05 ₹1,538

275.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$6.98 ₹668

145.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.96 ₹283

193.58%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$51.8 ₹4,965

1237.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,548 ₹148.3K

913.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$23.87 ₹2,286

149.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$24.86 ₹2,381

39.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$42.23 ₹4,045

171.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$31.53 ₹3,020

164.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$126 ₹12.1K

385.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$75.5 ₹7,234

478.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$270 ₹25.9K

674.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$181 ₹17.4K

732.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$715 ₹68.5K

424.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$459 ₹44.0K

469.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$578 ₹55.4K

-12.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.67

-38.52%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chengalpattu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $126 in Chengalpattu. 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 14% higher in Chengalpattu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $10.00 in Chengalpattu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $101 – making Chengalpattu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Phuket vs Chengalpattu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 231%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $574 in Chengalpattu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengalpattu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Chengalpattu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $51.8 in Chengalpattu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chengalpattu, where all-in costs run around $382, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Chengalpattu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chengalpattu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengalpattu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.