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: $449 in Shillong versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $696 in Shillong versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $944 in Shillong versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Shillong costs roughly 65% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shillong 67% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.39 ₹133

$4.70 ฿153

-70.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.66 ₹1,016

$45.37 ฿1,482

-76.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 ₹434

$8.43 ฿275

-45.91%

Cappuccino

$1.18 ₹112

$2.93 ฿95.6

-59.73%

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

$0.36 ₹34.42

$0.69 ฿22.40

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.37

$0.37 ฿11.99

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ₹136

$2.41 ฿78.6

-40.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 ₹313

$3.72 ฿122

-11.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.9

$2.23 ฿72.9

-70.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₹34.80

$1.83 ฿59.8

-79.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.58

$2.17 ฿70.8

-76.04%

Eggs

$0.85 ₹81.2

$2.21 ฿72.3

-61.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 ₹420

$19.74 ฿645

-77.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ₹316

$3.63 ฿119

-8.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₹176

$3.28 ฿107

-43.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.9

$1.61 ฿52.6

-53.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ₹87.6

$2.41 ฿78.6

-61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$2.08 ฿68.1

-71.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹29.61

$1.53 ฿49.93

-79.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.14

$1.48 ฿48.36

-75.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ₹35.09

$0.99 ฿32.29

-62.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.80

$0.51 ฿16.67

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ₹389

$4.41 ฿144

-7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 ₹441

$19.38 ฿633

-76.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₹146

$1.78 ฿58.1

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₹267

$2.71 ฿88.6

3.69%

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

$4.21 ₹401

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.77

$1.37 ฿44.79

-78.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.88 ₹846

$11.39 ฿372

-22.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$3.02 ฿98.6

-74.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₹141

$14.10 ฿461

-89.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹110

$1.36 ฿44.51

-15.44%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-50.54%

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

$18.0K ₹1.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-45.33%

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

$39.75 ₹3,786

$122 ฿3,975

-67.34%

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

$3.31 ₹315

$13.57 ฿443

-75.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.70 ₹543

$18.31 ฿598

-68.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.59 ₹437

$60.2 ฿1,967

-92.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 ₹565

$17.14 ฿560

-65.40%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 ₹284

$8.69 ฿284

-65.71%

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

$32.18 ₹3,065

$693 ฿22.6K

-95.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,908 ₹181.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-87.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.38 ₹2,418

$59.5 ฿1,944

-57.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₹3,393

$34.77 ฿1,136

2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.79 ₹4,361

$115 ฿3,743

-60.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.26 ₹4,025

$83.3 ฿2,720

-49.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 ₹24.2K

$613 ฿20.0K

-58.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₹15.0K

$437 ฿14.3K

-63.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ₹44.4K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-77.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₹30.4K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-78.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 ₹41.7K

$508 ฿16.6K

-13.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

5.33

38.46%

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

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Shillong and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 16% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $94.0 vs $293 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 182% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 16% less. 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: $254 in Shillong versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $32.18 in Shillong versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 213% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $449 in Shillong versus $1,265 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 182% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.