Cost of Living Comparison Between Shillong and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Shillong and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $406 in Shillong versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $645 in Shillong versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $884 in Shillong versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Shillong costs roughly 68% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shillong 70% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 ₹277

$4.56 ฿152

-36.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.38 ₹1,080

$32.62 ฿1,086

-65.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₹452

$8.90 ฿296

-46.52%

Cappuccino

$1.60 ₹152

$2.80 ฿93.4

-42.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₹41.45

$0.88 ฿29.31

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.40

$0.49 ฿16.29

-65.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₹118

$2.39 ฿79.5

-47.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₹319

$3.71 ฿124

-9.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 ₹62.5

$1.79 ฿59.5

-63.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 ₹32.82

$1.44 ฿48.00

-75.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.8

$1.58 ฿52.8

-62.03%

Eggs

$0.92 ₹87.5

$2.13 ฿70.8

-56.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.01 ₹381

$19.92 ฿663

-79.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.42 ₹229

$3.43 ฿114

-29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿377

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₹201

$2.95 ฿98.2

-28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.5

$1.72 ฿57.3

-61.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 ₹85.2

$2.32 ฿77.4

-61.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.3

$2.08 ฿69.3

-73.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.44

$1.47 ฿48.96

-77.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.80

$1.36 ฿45.22

-72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.20 ₹18.98

$1.10 ฿36.59

-81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₹23.57

$0.57 ฿19.13

-56.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.97 ₹472

$4.27 ฿142

16.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 ₹436

$18.42 ฿613

-75.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₹117

$1.87 ฿62.3

-33.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₹189

$2.92 ฿97.3

-31.85%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.93 ₹468

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₹65.0

$3.03 ฿101

-77.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.87

$1.07 ฿35.77

-71.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₹123

$3.93 ฿131

-66.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₹98.2

$1.49 ฿49.68

-30.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$12.6K ₹1.2M

$27.1K ฿903.4K

-53.67%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$27.5K ฿914.1K

-40.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$34.28 ₹3,255

$103 ฿3,423

-66.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$3.18 ₹302

$10.99 ฿366

-71.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.17 ₹585

$17.51 ฿583

-64.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.12 ₹961

$53.5 ฿1,783

-81.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 ₹503

$11.20 ฿373

-52.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 ₹293

$7.48 ฿249

-58.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$27.60 ₹2,620

$557 ฿18.5K

-95.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,168 ₹110.8K

$11.9K ฿394.7K

-90.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.42 ₹1,654

$64.1 ฿2,134

-72.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.65 ₹2,055

$29.07 ฿968

-25.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.08 ₹3,521

$96.0 ฿3,195

-61.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.72 ₹2,632

$90.3 ฿3,008

-69.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 ₹20.2K

$730 ฿24.3K

-70.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 ₹12.7K

$500 ฿16.6K

-73.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ₹69.3K

$2,090 ฿69.6K

-65.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₹27.0K

$1,209 ฿40.3K

-76.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$451 ₹42.8K

$503 ฿16.8K

-10.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

5.57

32.50%

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

Last update for Shillong: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Shillong and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 12% 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: $11.00 in Shillong vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $86.0 vs $273 per month, with Shillong 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

Shillong vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shillong is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 209% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $213 in Shillong versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $27.60 in Shillong versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shillong – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $406 in Shillong versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shillong but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shillong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shillong 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.

Safety-wise, Shillong 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.

Expats usually find Shillong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 209% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.