Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalar and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $545 in Kalar versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $826 in Kalar versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,106 in Kalar versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Kalar costs roughly 57% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kalar 60% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 IQD 2,434

$4.66 ฿154

-60.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.41 IQD 16.3K

$32.22 ฿1,066

-61.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 IQD 4,770

$8.68 ฿287

-58.06%

Cappuccino

$0.99 IQD 1,299

$2.90 ฿95.9

-65.86%

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

$0.52 IQD 683

$0.84 ฿27.91

-38.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 IQD 184

$0.49 ฿16.17

-71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 IQD 7,902

$2.48 ฿82.1

143.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 IQD 5,873

$3.73 ฿123

20.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 IQD 1,441

$1.89 ฿62.3

-41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 IQD 996

$1.41 ฿46.58

-46.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 IQD 2,021

$1.62 ฿53.6

-4.94%

Eggs

$1.32 IQD 1,728

$2.24 ฿74.1

-41.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,558

$19.84 ฿656

-82.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.24 IQD 2,930

$3.48 ฿115

-35.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

$11.37 ฿376

7.65%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 IQD 1,228

$2.90 ฿95.9

-67.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,504

$1.72 ฿57.0

-33.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 IQD 1,226

$2.27 ฿75.2

-58.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,059

$2.13 ฿70.5

-61.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 928

$1.47 ฿48.77

-51.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 916

$1.42 ฿46.96

-50.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,025

$1.10 ฿36.29

-29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 IQD 528

$0.60 ฿19.78

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 IQD 3,296

$4.31 ฿142

-41.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

$18.60 ฿615

-32.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,191

$1.80 ฿59.6

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,818

$2.97 ฿98.1

-27.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 716

$2.25 ฿74.3

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.21 IQD 39.6K

$23.49 ฿777

28.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 IQD 2,440

$3.10 ฿103

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.08 ฿35.59

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$3.87 ฿128

-2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 IQD 875

$1.43 ฿47.20

-53.15%

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

$16.7K IQD 21.8M

$27.8K ฿918.9K

-40.00%

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

$18.7K IQD 24.5M

$27.0K ฿892.4K

-30.67%

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

$52.8 IQD 69.2K

$105 ฿3,466

-49.58%

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

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

$11.39 ฿377

18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.92 IQD 31.3K

$17.54 ฿580

36.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

$54.3 ฿1,797

-65.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

$11.44 ฿378

235.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$7.78 ฿257

0.13%

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

$50.8 IQD 66.5K

$576 ฿19.1K

-91.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,532 IQD 2.0M

$11.6K ฿383.0K

-86.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.97 IQD 17.0K

$63.6 ฿2,104

-79.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

$29.10 ฿962

-51.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.37 IQD 34.5K

$96.2 ฿3,182

-72.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.17 IQD 42.1K

$90.0 ฿2,977

-64.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$171 IQD 224.5K

$733 ฿24.2K

-76.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 IQD 138.8K

$501 ฿16.6K

-78.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 IQD 367.7K

$2,126 ฿70.3K

-86.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 IQD 193.9K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-88.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,286 IQD 4.3M

$3,534 ฿116.9K

-7.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$451 IQD 591.1K

$2,622 ฿86.7K

-82.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 IQD 448.8K

$508 ฿16.8K

-32.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

5.57

-54.58%

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

Last update for Kalar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $171 in Kalar and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 48% 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: $12.00 in Kalar vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $275 per month, with Kalar 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

Kalar vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 48% 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: $171 in Kalar versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalar – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $545 per month in Kalar versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Kalar versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kalar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kalar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kalar 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, Kalar 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 Kalar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.