Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tinsukia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tinsukia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $380 in Tinsukia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $613 in Tinsukia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $846 in Tinsukia.

Living in Phuket is roughly 234% more expensive than Tinsukia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Tinsukia 72% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 āļŋ150
$2.34 â‚đ220
99.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44 āļŋ1,496
$15.22 â‚đ1,429
205.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 āļŋ280
$3.79 â‚đ356
129.02%
Cappuccino
$2.95 āļŋ95.0
$1.52 â‚đ142
94.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 āļŋ22.52
$0.58 â‚đ54.6
20.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 āļŋ12.70
$0.19 â‚đ17.74
105.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 āļŋ81.6
$1.75 â‚đ165
44.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 āļŋ122
$3.09 â‚đ290
22.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 āļŋ71.5
$0.71 â‚đ66.3
212.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 āļŋ57.8
$0.49 â‚đ45.60
267.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 āļŋ70.4
$0.67 â‚đ62.6
226.87%
Eggs
$2.31 āļŋ74.5
$0.89 â‚đ83.2
159.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.34 āļŋ623
$5.11 â‚đ480
278.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 āļŋ121
$2.96 â‚đ278
27.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 āļŋ426
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 āļŋ107
$2.03 â‚đ191
64.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 āļŋ53.1
$0.72 â‚đ67.5
129.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 āļŋ73.7
$0.92 â‚đ86.1
148.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 āļŋ64.1
$0.50 â‚đ46.78
298.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 āļŋ49.24
$0.39 â‚đ36.28
292.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 āļŋ48.77
$0.45 â‚đ42.30
235.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 āļŋ33.12
$0.45 â‚đ42.53
128.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 āļŋ16.57
$0.34 â‚đ32.12
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 āļŋ142
$3.91 â‚đ367
12.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.41 āļŋ625
$6.47 â‚đ607
200.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 āļŋ58.0
$1.71 â‚đ161
5.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 āļŋ86.4
$2.88 â‚đ270
-6.94%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.23 â‚đ491
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.43 āļŋ46.11
$0.30 â‚đ28.56
376.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 āļŋ377
$8.52 â‚đ800
37.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 āļŋ97.9
$0.80 â‚đ75.1
280.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 āļŋ33.37
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.68 āļŋ441
$1.42 â‚đ134
863.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 āļŋ41.85
$1.17 â‚đ110
11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K āļŋ898.9K
$13.9K â‚đ1.3M
100.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K āļŋ1.1M
$22.0K â‚đ2.1M
50.41%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 āļŋ3,962
$38.51 â‚đ3,614
219.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82 āļŋ445
$3.50 â‚đ329
294.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86 āļŋ608
$7.32 â‚đ687
157.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 āļŋ1,970
$16.22 â‚đ1,523
277.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81 āļŋ541
$6.87 â‚đ645
144.69%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 āļŋ286
$2.83 â‚đ266
213.43%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 āļŋ22.4K
$52.0 â‚đ4,878
1240.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K āļŋ517.4K
$1,523 â‚đ142.9K
954.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 āļŋ1,910
$24.67 â‚đ2,316
140.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85 āļŋ1,123
$24.91 â‚đ2,338
39.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,646
$42.54 â‚đ3,993
166.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1 āļŋ2,740
$32.29 â‚đ3,031
163.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$615 āļŋ19.8K
$126 â‚đ11.9K
387.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 āļŋ14.4K
$77.0 â‚đ7,223
482.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 āļŋ67.2K
$278 â‚đ26.1K
649.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 āļŋ48.2K
$180 â‚đ16.9K
729.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,734 āļŋ120.3K
$964 â‚đ90.5K
287.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,662 āļŋ85.8K
$515 â‚đ48.4K
416.62%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tinsukia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$534 āļŋ17.2K
$335 â‚đ31.4K
59.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
8.67
-38.52%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tinsukia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $126 in Tinsukia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 59% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $15 in Tinsukia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $104 per month, with Tinsukia 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 Tinsukia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tinsukia cheaper than Phuket?
Tinsukia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 234% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Tinsukia?
Phuket pays 59% more on average, 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 Tinsukia?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $126 in Tinsukia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $52.0 in Tinsukia. 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 Tinsukia?
Supermarket bills run roughly 180% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Tinsukia?
At $380 in Tinsukia versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tinsukia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tinsukia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tinsukia more family-friendly?
For families, Tinsukia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Tinsukia?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Tinsukia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Tinsukia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 234% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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