Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratlam and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratlam and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $352 in Ratlam versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $522 in Ratlam versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $691 in Ratlam versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Ratlam costs roughly 72% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ratlam 74% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96 â‚đ184
$4.66 āļŋ150
-57.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$6.80 â‚đ638
$46.44 āļŋ1,496
-85.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.95 â‚đ277
$8.68 āļŋ280
-66.01%
Cappuccino
$1.58 â‚đ148
$2.95 āļŋ95.0
-46.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 â‚đ33.99
$0.70 āļŋ22.52
-48.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 â‚đ12.42
$0.39 āļŋ12.70
-66.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 â‚đ206
$2.53 āļŋ81.6
-13.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.30 â‚đ497
$3.78 āļŋ122
40.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.62 â‚đ58.2
$2.22 āļŋ71.5
-72.07%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 â‚đ45.09
$1.80 āļŋ57.8
-73.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 â‚đ67.5
$2.19 āļŋ70.4
-67.12%
Eggs
$0.82 â‚đ77.0
$2.31 āļŋ74.5
-64.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.90 â‚đ460
$19.34 āļŋ623
-74.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.31 â‚đ217
$3.77 āļŋ121
-38.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.22 āļŋ426
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.36 â‚đ222
$3.33 āļŋ107
-29.13%
Banana (1kg)
$0.45 â‚đ42.39
$1.65 āļŋ53.1
-72.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.01 â‚đ94.8
$2.29 āļŋ73.7
-55.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.80 â‚đ74.9
$1.99 āļŋ64.1
-59.80%
Potato (1kg)
$0.16 â‚đ14.95
$1.53 āļŋ49.24
-89.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.22 â‚đ20.51
$1.51 āļŋ48.77
-85.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.50 â‚đ46.76
$1.03 āļŋ33.12
-51.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34 â‚đ31.71
$0.51 āļŋ16.57
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 â‚đ335
$4.41 āļŋ142
-19.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.19 â‚đ487
$19.41 āļŋ625
-73.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 â‚đ151
$1.80 āļŋ58.0
-10.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 â‚đ210
$2.68 āļŋ86.4
-16.42%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.64 â‚đ530
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.28 â‚đ26.01
$1.43 āļŋ46.11
-80.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.62 â‚đ809
$11.70 āļŋ377
-26.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 â‚đ65.9
$3.04 āļŋ97.9
-76.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.04 āļŋ33.37
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 â‚đ140
$13.68 āļŋ441
-89.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 â‚đ111
$1.30 āļŋ41.85
-9.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.3K â‚đ1.4M
$27.9K āļŋ898.9K
-45.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.9K â‚đ1.9M
$33.0K āļŋ1.1M
-39.63%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.76 â‚đ2,700
$123 āļŋ3,962
-76.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.96 â‚đ371
$13.82 āļŋ445
-71.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$5.89 â‚đ553
$18.86 āļŋ608
-68.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$5.91 â‚đ555
$61.2 āļŋ1,970
-90.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.90 â‚đ648
$16.81 āļŋ541
-58.95%
Cinema Ticket
$3.42 â‚đ321
$8.87 āļŋ286
-61.44%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$62.3 â‚đ5,849
$696 āļŋ22.4K
-91.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,092 â‚đ102.5K
$16.1K āļŋ517.4K
-93.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$7.91 â‚đ743
$59.3 āļŋ1,910
-86.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$9.39 â‚đ881
$34.85 āļŋ1,123
-73.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$17.64 â‚đ1,656
$113 āļŋ3,646
-84.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.04 â‚đ2,726
$85.1 āļŋ2,740
-65.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$136 â‚đ12.7K
$615 āļŋ19.8K
-77.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$92.2 â‚đ8,655
$448 āļŋ14.4K
-79.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$175 â‚đ16.4K
$2,085 āļŋ67.2K
-91.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$144 â‚đ13.5K
$1,496 āļŋ48.2K
-90.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$969 â‚đ91.0K
$3,734 āļŋ120.3K
-74.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$517 â‚đ48.5K
$2,662 āļŋ85.8K
-80.59%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Ratlam
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$401 â‚đ37.6K
$534 āļŋ17.2K
-24.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.1
5.33
70.73%

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

Last update for Ratlam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $136 in Ratlam and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 33% 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: $7 in Ratlam vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $96 vs $291 per month, with Ratlam 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
Ratlam vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Ratlam?
Ratlam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 261% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ratlam or Phuket?
On paper, Phuket earns 33% less. 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 Ratlam and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $136 in Ratlam versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $62.3 in Ratlam versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Ratlam and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 204% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Ratlam or Phuket?
At $352 in Ratlam versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ratlam but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ratlam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ratlam or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Ratlam 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, Ratlam or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Ratlam and Phuket 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 Ratlam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 261% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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