Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dhanbad Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dhanbad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $302 in Dhanbad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $489 in Dhanbad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $675 in Dhanbad, rent included.

Phuket costs about 318% more than Dhanbad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dhanbad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Dhanbad 78% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 ฿154
$1.61 ₹154
189.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22 ฿1,065
$9.29 ₹888
246.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 ฿287
$3.21 ₹307
170.40%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ฿95.8
$1.39 ₹132
108.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ฿27.89
$0.35 ₹33.91
140.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.16
$0.14 ₹13.12
250.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 ฿82.0
$1.95 ₹187
27.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿123
$4.31 ₹412
-13.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 ฿62.3
$0.63 ₹59.7
200.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿46.54
$0.44 ₹41.87
220.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 ฿53.6
$0.58 ₹55.2
179.31%
Eggs
$2.24 ฿74.1
$0.89 ₹84.9
151.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.84 ฿656
$3.69 ₹353
437.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.48 ฿115
$2.27 ₹217
53.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.37 ฿376
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 ฿95.8
$1.43 ₹136
102.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ฿57.0
$0.67 ₹63.8
156.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.27 ฿75.1
$1.02 ₹97.4
122.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿70.4
$0.42 ₹40.28
407.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 ฿48.72
$0.21 ₹20.00
600.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.42 ฿46.92
$0.39 ₹37.59
264.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ฿36.25
$0.44 ₹41.92
150.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 ฿19.76
$0.27 ₹25.76
122.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿142
$5.11 ₹488
-15.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.60 ฿615
$3.13 ₹299
494.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 ฿59.5
$1.59 ₹152
13.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 ฿98.0
$2.05 ₹196
44.88%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.83 ₹653
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.25 ฿74.2
$0.20 ₹19.07
1025.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.49 ฿776
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 ฿102
$1.29 ₹123
140.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.08 ฿35.56
$0.12 ₹11.75
800.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.87 ฿128
$1.08 ₹103
258.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ฿47.16
$1.09 ₹104
31.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿918.0K
$8,486 ₹810.7K
227.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K ฿891.5K
$27.6K ₹2.6M
-2.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 ฿3,462
$45.37 ₹4,335
130.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39 ฿376
$2.78 ₹266
309.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54 ฿580
$6.64 ₹635
164.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.3 ฿1,795
$11.48 ₹1,097
373.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44 ฿378
$6.35 ₹607
80.16%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78 ฿257
$2.62 ₹251
196.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 ฿19.0K
$30.09 ₹2,875
1815.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿382.7K
$1,175 ₹112.2K
885.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6 ฿2,103
$23.64 ₹2,259
169.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10 ฿961
$28.84 ₹2,755
0.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 ฿3,179
$39.29 ₹3,754
144.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0 ฿2,974
$25.04 ₹2,392
259.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$733 ฿24.2K
$60.9 ₹5,822
1103.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$501 ฿16.5K
$39.82 ₹3,804
1157.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,126 ฿70.2K
$170 ₹16.2K
1150.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,252 ฿41.4K
$110 ₹10.5K
1038.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,534 ฿116.8K
$1,588 ₹151.7K
122.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,622 ฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.8K
$377 ₹36.1K
34.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
9
-38.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dhanbad: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $60.9 in Dhanbad. 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 34% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $9.00 in Dhanbad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $81.0 – making Dhanbad 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 Dhanbad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhanbad cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 318%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $454 in Dhanbad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhanbad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Dhanbad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $302 in Dhanbad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $30.09 in Dhanbad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Dhanbad?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dhanbad, where all-in costs run around $302, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Dhanbad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Dhanbad more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Dhanbad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Dhanbad?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Dhanbad. 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.

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