Moving to India from Thailand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Thailand to India — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Thailand to India, you would find that India is 53.2% cheaper than Thailand overall. A THB2,497,395 salary in Thailand would need to be roughly ₹3,019,773 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Thailand to India.
What does your salary buy?
THB2,497,395 → ₹3,019,773
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 40.4% less
Groceries
pay 55.4% less
Transportation
pay 51.0% less
Housing
pay 62.9% less
Childcare
pay 85.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 34.9% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in India cost about 48% less than cities in Thailand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Thailand to India.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
India performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Thailand generally does better on environment, though India leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Thailand performs better than India across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Thailand performs better than India across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Thailand generally does better on family life, though India leads in education spending.
Data: The Revenue Department, Government of Thailand, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Bangkok | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Bangkok | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Thai Meteorological Department,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Thailand and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
Thailand passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than Thailand?
Yes — India is on average about 58% cheaper than Thailand. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₹754,943 in India on a THB2,497,395 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from India?
Internet is rarely the blocker — India has 2.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is India safe for expats?
India performs significantly better than Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.8 in Thailand.
How is healthcare in India compared to Thailand?
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.3 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 9.3 in Thailand. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Thailand: 82).
What's the weather like in India compared to Thailand?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 91°F in Bangkok. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Bangkok gets 59.0 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Thailand, the official language is Thai.
