ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $396 in Ulhasnagar.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $635 in Ulhasnagar.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $874 in Ulhasnagar.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 211% more expensive than Ulhasnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Ulhasnagar70% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$2.85âđ271
62.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$11.45âđ1,087
309.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$4.63âđ439
90.93%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$2.27âđ215
32.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$0.34âđ31.93
117.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$0.20âđ19.43
85.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$2.36âđ224
3.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$3.42âđ325
5.56%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$0.71âđ67.5
218.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$0.51âđ48.71
260.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$0.66âđ62.6
239.39%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$0.86âđ81.6
169.77%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$7.11âđ675
176.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$2.46âđ234
48.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$1.92âđ183
76.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$0.56âđ52.9
192.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$1.06âđ101
127.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$0.58âđ55.4
250.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$0.53âđ50.6
194.34%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$0.53âđ50.7
183.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$0.45âđ42.75
126.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$0.32âđ30.73
53.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$4.30âđ408
3.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
$7.45âđ707
153.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$1.88âđ178
-5.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$2.98âđ282
-7.72%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.08âđ387
-
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
$0.30âđ28.65
366.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
$8.83âđ839
30.01%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$0.34âđ32.42
817.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
$0.17âđ16.59
488.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$1.02âđ97.3
1281.37%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$1.19âđ113
13.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$9,643âđ915.5K
181.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$19.7Kâđ1.9M
67.31%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$25.41âđ2,412
391.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$3.65âđ346
271.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$8.09âđ768
128.92%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
$16.12âđ1,531
281.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
$7.17âđ681
134.87%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$4.00âđ380
129.75%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$76.7âđ7,277
810.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$1,191âđ113.1K
1208.86%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$18.52âđ1,758
211.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$18.98âđ1,802
85.67%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$49.58âđ4,707
128.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$33.98âđ3,226
154.21%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
$122âđ11.5K
406.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
$76.9âđ7,304
479.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
$272âđ25.8K
652.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
$179âđ17.0K
735.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
$820âđ77.9K
360.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
$582âđ55.3K
354.88%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ulhasnagar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
$378âđ35.9K
38.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8.99
-40.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Ulhasnagar: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $122 in Ulhasnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Phuket pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $11.00 in Ulhasnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $111 per month, with Ulhasnagar 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 Ulhasnagar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ulhasnagar cheaper than Phuket?
Ulhasnagar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 211% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Ulhasnagar?
Phuket pays 38% 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 Ulhasnagar?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $122 in Ulhasnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $76.7 in Ulhasnagar. 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 Ulhasnagar?
Supermarket bills run roughly 164% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Ulhasnagar?
At $396 in Ulhasnagar versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulhasnagar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ulhasnagar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Ulhasnagar more family-friendly?
For families, Ulhasnagar 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 Ulhasnagar?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ulhasnagar 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 Ulhasnagar gentler on the wallet â expenses run 211% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.