Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Udupi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Udupi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $336 in Udupi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $510 in Udupi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $684 in Udupi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 272% more expensive than in Udupi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Udupi 75% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55 ฿153
$1.18 ₹113
285.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18 ฿1,550
$6.96 ₹670
563.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 ฿297
$3.54 ₹341
149.72%
Cappuccino
$3.06 ฿103
$1.14 ₹110
168.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿24.36
$0.22 ₹21.17
231.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ฿13.37
$0.13 ₹12.96
207.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 ฿81.6
$1.48 ₹142
64.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 ฿127
$2.31 ₹222
63.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 ฿75.8
$0.49 ₹47.63
361.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 ฿60.8
$0.39 ₹37.92
364.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.7
$0.60 ₹57.7
275.00%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.4
$0.83 ₹80.1
171.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.51 ฿655
$7.59 ₹730
157.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 ฿122
$4.97 ₹478
-26.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿438
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 ฿109
$2.06 ₹198
56.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$0.77 ₹73.9
110.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.38 ฿80.0
$0.67 ₹64.2
255.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 ฿68.0
$0.48 ₹45.79
322.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.5
$0.22 ₹21.04
595.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.4
$0.24 ₹23.17
525.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.85
$0.49 ₹47.45
100.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.36
$0.27 ₹26.11
92.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44 ฿149
$1.96 ₹189
126.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.32 ฿615
$4.39 ₹423
317.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿62.6
$1.88 ₹181
-1.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 ฿90.0
$2.98 ₹287
-10.07%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$3.47 ₹334
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.41 ฿47.37
$0.16 ₹14.99
781.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 ฿393
$8.57 ₹825
36.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.11 ฿104
$0.48 ₹46.68
547.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 ฿35.00
$0.34 ₹32.29
205.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.11 ฿474
$1.47 ₹142
859.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ฿44.02
$1.17 ₹113
11.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿933.8K
$13.0K ₹1.2M
114.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K ฿1.1M
$20.6K ₹2.0M
61.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 ฿4,110
$41.22 ₹3,969
197.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59 ฿456
$2.30 ₹222
490.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70 ฿628
$2.27 ₹219
723.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.5 ฿2,031
$9.32 ₹897
549.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98 ฿570
$9.17 ₹883
85.17%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿305
$2.36 ₹227
284.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$706 ฿23.7K
$35.50 ₹3,418
1889.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿530.5K
$685 ₹65.9K
2208.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6 ฿1,965
$20.56 ₹1,980
184.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36 ฿1,187
$21.92 ₹2,111
61.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,876
$26.13 ₹2,516
341.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7 ฿2,811
$26.05 ₹2,508
221.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ฿21.0K
$114 ₹11.0K
447.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$445 ฿14.9K
$57.7 ₹5,553
671.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,040 ฿68.5K
$174 ₹16.7K
1073.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 ฿50.1K
$117 ₹11.2K
1180.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,483 ฿116.9K
$828 ₹79.8K
320.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,577 ฿86.5K
$527 ₹50.7K
389.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Udupi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ฿16.8K
$310 ₹29.8K
61.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
8.38
-36.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Udupi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $114 in Udupi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 61% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $7.00 in Udupi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $113 per month, with Udupi 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 Udupi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Udupi cheaper than Phuket?
Udupi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 272% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Udupi?
Average pay runs 61% 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 Udupi?
Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $114 in Udupi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $35.50 in Udupi. 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 Udupi?
Supermarket bills run roughly 157% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Udupi?
At $336 in Udupi versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Udupi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Udupi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Udupi more family-friendly?
For families, Udupi 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 Udupi?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Udupi 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 Udupi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 272% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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