Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rayagada

For one person, living is cheaper in Rayagada: $329 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Rayagada, India
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Rayagada
🇮🇳 India
$329
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Rayagada

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $329 in Rayagada.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Rayagada $329

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $529 in Rayagada.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Rayagada $529

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $730 in Rayagada.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Rayagada $730

Living in Phuket is roughly 288% more expensive than in Rayagada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Rayagada 76% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$1.63 ₹154
174.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$8.42 ₹800
284.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$3.13 ₹297
181.47%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.07 ₹101
164.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.42
$0.33 ₹31.78
163.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.66
$0.11 ₹10.67
345.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$2.06 ₹196
24.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.16 ₹300
16.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$0.46 ₹44.10
260.87%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.32
$0.51 ₹48.48
186.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.59 ₹56.2
154.24%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$0.86 ₹81.2
143.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$2.98 ₹283
539.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$2.69 ₹256
22.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$1.62 ₹154
80.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$0.62 ₹58.7
172.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$0.78 ₹73.7
188.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$0.40 ₹38.03
420.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.36 ₹33.92
319.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.54
$0.39 ₹37.34
253.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.97
$0.55 ₹52.7
94.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.30 ₹28.47
73.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.59 ₹341
16.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$8.86 ₹841
112.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.71 ₹162
6.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$3.07 ₹292
-7.49%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$4.34 ₹412
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.00
$0.21 ₹19.95
590.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$6.13 ₹582
824.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.55 ₹52.6
449.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.34
$0.15 ₹14.37
580.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$2.06 ₹196
79.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.78
$1.06 ₹100
38.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.7K
$11.3K ₹1.1M
136.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.8K
$22.4K ₹2.1M
18.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,252
$21.40 ₹2,031
350.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$3.52 ₹334
219.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$5.28 ₹501
219.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,269
$13.94 ₹1,323
382.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$7.03 ₹667
52.63%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$2.66 ₹253
181.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$50.5 ₹4,796
842.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.1K
$1,567 ₹148.7K
618.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,105
$22.63 ₹2,149
175.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$20.74 ₹1,969
36.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,182
$30.33 ₹2,880
210.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,896
$31.40 ₹2,981
173.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$120 ₹11.4K
498.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$75.6 ₹7,176
549.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$264 ₹25.0K
630.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$185 ₹17.6K
673.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$975 ₹92.6K
328.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$528 ₹50.1K
476.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Rayagada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$684 ₹65.0K
-26.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
8.58
-35.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Rayagada: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Rayagada
$76 84.6% $415
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Rayagada
$95 64.3% $171
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Rayagada
$30 75.7% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Rayagada
$47 61.2% $75
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Rayagada
$54 55.9% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Rayagada
$19 76.6% $63
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Rayagada
$8.3 88.3% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $120 in Rayagada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rayagada pays 36% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $8 in Rayagada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $95 per month, with Rayagada cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇳 Rayagada
🕒 Local time
11:30 11:30 AM
10:00 10:00 AM
1 h 30 min behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
71,208
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Rayagada 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Rayagada

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 Rayagada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rayagada cheaper than Phuket?
Rayagada is about 74% 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 Rayagada?
On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Rayagada?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $120 in Rayagada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $51 in Rayagada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Rayagada?
Supermarket bills run roughly 180% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $800 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Rayagada?
At $329 in Rayagada versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $800 budget is realistic in Rayagada but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Rayagada the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Rayagada?
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 Rayagada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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