Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dhanbad

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhanbad: $306 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Dhanbad, India
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Dhanbad
🇮🇳 India
$306
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Dhanbad

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

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $306 in Dhanbad, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Dhanbad $306

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $485 in Dhanbad, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Dhanbad $485

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $664 in Dhanbad, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Dhanbad $664

Phuket costs about 318% more than Dhanbad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Dhanbad are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Dhanbad 78% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$1.55 ₹148
188.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,092
$9.21 ₹877
251.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$3.18 ₹302
177.04%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.3
$1.36 ₹129
108.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.37
$0.38 ₹36.40
128.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.64
$0.13 ₹12.76
276.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.2
$1.97 ₹188
29.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$4.18 ₹398
-11.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$0.63 ₹59.7
163.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.25
$0.41 ₹38.63
256.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
$0.56 ₹53.3
167.86%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.4
$0.94 ₹89.4
122.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿642
$3.71 ₹353
414.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.21 ₹211
49.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.7
$1.41 ₹134
107.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$0.67 ₹63.9
152.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$1.00 ₹95.2
125.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$0.45 ₹42.46
362.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$0.21 ₹19.91
619.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.47
$0.39 ₹37.56
253.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.91
$0.46 ₹44.03
132.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.49
$0.27 ₹25.35
92.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$4.95 ₹471
-15.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿633
$3.20 ₹305
487.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.4
$1.57 ₹149
15.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.7
$2.06 ₹196
37.86%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$6.58 ₹626
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$0.22 ₹20.96
559.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,909
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.28 ₹122
135.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.29
$0.12 ₹11.85
750.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿124
$1.07 ₹102
244.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.70
$1.11 ₹106
32.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿902.4K
$8,380 ₹797.9K
219.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿899.5K
$27.9K ₹2.7M
-4.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,247
$44.77 ₹4,263
115.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$2.92 ₹278
285.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$6.50 ₹619
159.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,266
$11.30 ₹1,076
494.96%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿361
$6.14 ₹584
74.76%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$2.69 ₹256
178.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.0K
$29.56 ₹2,815
1510.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿379.6K
$1,180 ₹112.3K
854.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,102
$24.19 ₹2,303
157.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿957
$29.09 ₹2,769
-2.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,178
$38.60 ₹3,676
144.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,892
$24.49 ₹2,332
250.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.1K
$59.3 ₹5,643
1107.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.5K
$40.62 ₹3,867
1108.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿64.9K
$170 ₹16.2K
1033.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.2K
$109 ₹10.4K
1210.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.7K
$1,588 ₹151.2K
162.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Dhanbad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$377 ₹35.9K
33.09%
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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dhanbad: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Dhanbad
$41 91.7% $450
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Dhanbad
$81 69.7% $186
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Dhanbad
$54 56.5% $70
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Dhanbad
$52 57% $70
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Dhanbad
$59 51.9% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Dhanbad
$17 79.7% $66
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Dhanbad
$2.8 * 96% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $59 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 33% 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 in Phuket versus $9 in Dhanbad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $81 – making Dhanbad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇳 Dhanbad
🕒 Local time
11:25 11:25 AM
09:55 9:55 AM
1 h 30 min behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
1,162,472
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 95.21 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Dhanbad 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Dhanbad

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
Phuket vs Dhanbad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dhanbad cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 318%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $459 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $59 there versus $716 in Phuket.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Dhanbad?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $306 in Dhanbad. That makes Dhanbad about 76% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $30 in Dhanbad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Dhanbad?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhanbad, where all-in costs run around $306, than in Phuket at $1,278. 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Dhanbad. 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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