Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Indore Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Indore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $423 in Indore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $679 in Indore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $934 in Indore.

Living in Phuket is roughly 191% more expensive than Indore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Indore 68% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Indore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 āļŋ151
$2.64 â‚đ251
75.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84 āļŋ1,532
$11.79 â‚đ1,120
297.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 āļŋ289
$3.42 â‚đ325
158.48%
Cappuccino
$3.00 āļŋ98.0
$1.53 â‚đ146
96.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 āļŋ24.25
$0.46 â‚đ43.66
60.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 āļŋ11.95
$0.15 â‚đ14.39
146.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 āļŋ79.8
$1.75 â‚đ166
39.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 āļŋ118
$3.18 â‚đ302
13.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Indore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 āļŋ73.9
$0.76 â‚đ72.0
197.37%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 āļŋ60.1
$0.43 â‚đ40.79
327.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 āļŋ73.4
$0.77 â‚đ72.8
190.91%
Eggs
$2.32 āļŋ75.7
$1.10 â‚đ104
110.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.67 āļŋ643
$5.49 â‚đ521
258.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 āļŋ119
$2.67 â‚đ254
36.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 āļŋ428
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 āļŋ111
$1.98 â‚đ188
71.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 āļŋ53.7
$0.56 â‚đ53.6
192.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 āļŋ79.0
$1.00 â‚đ94.7
141.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 āļŋ66.4
$0.64 â‚đ60.7
217.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 āļŋ50.9
$0.36 â‚đ34.45
333.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 āļŋ48.94
$0.42 â‚đ39.92
257.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 āļŋ33.50
$0.54 â‚đ51.2
88.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 āļŋ16.00
$0.34 â‚đ31.81
44.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45 āļŋ145
$4.61 â‚đ437
-3.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.88 āļŋ617
$7.84 â‚đ745
140.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 āļŋ58.1
$2.18 â‚đ207
-18.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 āļŋ90.1
$3.85 â‚đ365
-28.57%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.37 â‚đ415
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Indore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 āļŋ45.81
$0.22 â‚đ20.84
536.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.48 āļŋ376
$5.89 â‚đ559
94.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 āļŋ102
$0.60 â‚đ56.9
420.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 āļŋ32.67
$0.24 â‚đ22.89
316.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.09 āļŋ461
$1.47 â‚đ139
858.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 āļŋ44.19
$1.26 â‚đ120
7.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K āļŋ888.9K
$11.5K â‚đ1.1M
135.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K āļŋ1.1M
$16.9K â‚đ1.6M
95.32%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Indore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 āļŋ4,087
$32.31 â‚đ3,068
286.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 āļŋ444
$3.54 â‚đ336
283.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52 āļŋ606
$8.47 â‚đ804
118.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Indore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.5 āļŋ2,010
$20.25 â‚đ1,923
203.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 āļŋ551
$6.57 â‚đ623
156.32%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19 āļŋ300
$3.46 â‚đ329
165.61%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Indore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 āļŋ22.8K
$50.8 â‚đ4,818
1275.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K āļŋ509.9K
$1,560 â‚đ148.1K
899.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Indore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 āļŋ1,889
$20.88 â‚đ1,982
176.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 āļŋ1,152
$27.23 â‚đ2,586
29.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,699
$56.6 â‚đ5,369
100.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 āļŋ2,825
$36.17 â‚đ3,434
138.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Indore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$616 āļŋ20.1K
$159 â‚đ15.1K
286.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 āļŋ14.6K
$97.8 â‚đ9,287
355.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,048 āļŋ67.0K
$393 â‚đ37.3K
420.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 āļŋ48.8K
$227 â‚đ21.5K
558.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,779 āļŋ123.6K
$1,287 â‚đ122.2K
193.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,649 āļŋ86.6K
$544 â‚đ51.7K
386.87%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Indore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 āļŋ17.1K
$375 â‚đ35.6K
39.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
9.21
-42.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Indore: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $159 in Indore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 40% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Indore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $112 per month, with Indore 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
Phuket vs Indore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Indore?
Phuket and Indore differ by about 191% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $423 including rent). Indore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Indore?
Phuket pays 40% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Indore?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $159 in Indore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Indore?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $423 in Indore – a 191% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and Indore?
A monthly transit pass in Indore runs roughly 95% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $423 in Indore versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Indore but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Indore the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Indore?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Indore safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Indore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Indore?
Expats usually find Indore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 191% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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