Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lucknow

For one person, living is cheaper in Lucknow: $396 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Lucknow, India
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Lucknow
🇮🇳 India
$396
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Lucknow

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 Lucknow actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $396 in Lucknow.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Lucknow $396

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $621 in Lucknow.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Lucknow $621

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $846 in Lucknow.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Lucknow $846

Living in Phuket is roughly 223% more expensive than in Lucknow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lucknow 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$1.86 ₹176
140.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,093
$10.62 ₹1,009
205.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$3.23 ₹307
172.76%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.57 ₹149
80.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.41
$0.44 ₹41.97
97.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.65
$0.13 ₹12.29
276.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$1.56 ₹148
64.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$2.26 ₹214
62.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.9
$0.70 ₹66.6
137.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.31
$0.47 ₹44.92
210.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.59 ₹55.9
154.24%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.02 ₹96.4
104.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$3.32 ₹315
474.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.51 ₹239
31.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$1.79 ₹170
63.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$0.66 ₹63.1
156.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$0.96 ₹91.0
134.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.0
$0.47 ₹44.75
342.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.30 ₹28.11
403.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.52
$0.42 ₹39.45
228.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.96
$0.42 ₹39.88
154.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.30 ₹28.36
73.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$4.90 ₹465
-14.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$8.57 ₹814
119.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.66 ₹158
9.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.8
$2.63 ₹249
7.98%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.72 ₹543
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.98
$0.43 ₹41.10
237.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$9.07 ₹861
524.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.98 ₹93.4
208.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.33
$0.20 ₹18.95
410.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$1.14 ₹108
223.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.76
$1.14 ₹108
28.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.4K
$11.1K ₹1.1M
141.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.5K
$22.0K ₹2.1M
21.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,251
$54.2 ₹5,149
77.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$3.74 ₹356
201.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿568
$8.66 ₹822
94.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,268
$15.88 ₹1,508
323.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$6.69 ₹635
60.39%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$3.20 ₹304
134.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$38.90 ₹3,693
1123.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.0K
$979 ₹92.9K
1050.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,104
$23.41 ₹2,223
166.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿958
$25.07 ₹2,381
13.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,181
$38.75 ₹3,679
143.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,895
$25.60 ₹2,431
235.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$133 ₹12.6K
439.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$87.7 ₹8,324
459.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$356 ₹33.8K
440.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$212 ₹20.1K
574.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$1,124 ₹106.7K
271.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.7K
$606 ₹57.5K
402.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lucknow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿16.9K
$331 ₹31.5K
51.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.53
-34.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Lucknow
$88 82.1% $403
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Lucknow
$98 63.4% $169
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Lucknow
$67 46.5% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Lucknow
$51 58.3% $71
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Lucknow
$58 52.3% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Lucknow
$22 72.9% $60
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Lucknow
$13 81.9% $58

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $133 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 52% 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: $32 in Phuket vs $11 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $98 per month, with Lucknow cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇳 Lucknow
🕒 Local time
03:17 3:17 AM
01:47 1:47 AM
1 h 30 min behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
4,588,455
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Lucknow 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Lucknow

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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lucknow cheaper than Phuket?
Lucknow is about 69% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Lucknow?
Average pay runs 52% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Lucknow?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $133 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Lucknow?
Dining out is cheaper in Lucknow – a meal for two runs $11 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Lucknow?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $396 in Lucknow – Lucknow is about 69% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Lucknow?
At $396 in Lucknow versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lucknow but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lucknow the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Lucknow?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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