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: $519 in Kalar versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $776 in Kalar versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,034 in Kalar versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Kalar costs roughly 59% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kalar 61% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.86 IQD 2,435

$4.70 ฿153

-60.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.16 IQD 15.9K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-73.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 IQD 4,722

$8.43 ฿275

-57.18%

Cappuccino

$1.04 IQD 1,365

$2.93 ฿95.6

-64.51%

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

$0.49 IQD 637

$0.69 ฿22.40

-28.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 IQD 200

$0.37 ฿11.99

-59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,528

$2.41 ฿78.6

-19.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,700

$3.72 ฿122

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 IQD 1,374

$2.23 ฿72.9

-52.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,107

$1.83 ฿59.8

-53.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 IQD 2,042

$2.17 ฿70.8

-28.11%

Eggs

$1.32 IQD 1,730

$2.21 ฿72.3

-40.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.52 IQD 4,604

$19.74 ฿645

-82.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.35 IQD 3,079

$3.63 ฿119

-35.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

$13.53 ฿442

-9.16%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,204

$3.28 ฿107

-71.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,495

$1.61 ฿52.6

-29.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,309

$2.41 ฿78.6

-58.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$2.08 ฿68.1

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$1.53 ฿49.93

-54.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 941

$1.48 ฿48.36

-51.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 IQD 934

$0.99 ฿32.29

-28.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 IQD 581

$0.51 ฿16.67

-13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 IQD 3,468

$4.41 ฿144

-39.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.66 IQD 16.6K

$19.38 ฿633

-34.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,877

$1.78 ฿58.1

-19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 IQD 2,550

$2.71 ฿88.6

-28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$1.37 ฿44.79

-56.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

$11.39 ฿372

172.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,054

$3.02 ฿98.6

-22.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 IQD 2,456

$0.99 ฿32.48

89.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 IQD 4,966

$14.10 ฿461

-73.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 840

$1.36 ฿44.51

-52.94%

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

$16.9K IQD 22.2M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-40.02%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-42.88%

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

$54.5 IQD 71.3K

$122 ฿3,975

-55.26%

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

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

$13.57 ฿443

-0.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.89 IQD 31.3K

$18.31 ฿598

30.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.20 IQD 25.1K

$60.2 ฿1,967

-68.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 IQD 9,881

$8.69 ฿284

-13.12%

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

$52.0 IQD 68.1K

$693 ฿22.6K

-92.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,522 IQD 2.0M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-90.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.83 IQD 16.8K

$59.5 ฿1,944

-78.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

$34.77 ฿1,136

-59.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.51 IQD 34.7K

$115 ฿3,743

-76.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.27 IQD 42.3K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-61.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 IQD 228.0K

$613 ฿20.0K

-71.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 IQD 137.0K

$437 ฿14.3K

-76.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 IQD 368.6K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-86.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 IQD 190.5K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-90.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,312 IQD 4.3M

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-11.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$456 IQD 597.7K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-82.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$337 IQD 441.8K

$508 ฿16.6K

-33.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

5.33

6.38%

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

Last update for Kalar: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Kalar and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 51% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $293 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 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 51% 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: $174 in Kalar versus $613 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $519 per month in Kalar versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $519 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 144% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.