Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $905 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 66% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 ₹308

$4.48 ฿150

-27.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.45 ₹1,092

$45.59 ฿1,521

-74.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ₹473

$8.76 ฿292

-43.38%

Cappuccino

$1.88 ₹180

$2.97 ฿99.0

-36.70%

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

$0.40 ₹38.60

$0.69 ฿22.90

-42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.79

$0.39 ฿13.04

-64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ₹162

$2.53 ฿84.4

-32.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₹283

$3.75 ฿125

-20.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.5

$2.15 ฿71.6

-66.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₹40.91

$1.82 ฿60.6

-76.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ₹67.8

$2.18 ฿72.9

-67.43%

Eggs

$0.97 ₹92.5

$2.25 ฿75.0

-56.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.49 ₹524

$20.00 ฿667

-72.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 ₹277

$3.63 ฿121

-19.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ₹239

$3.24 ฿108

-22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.1

$1.64 ฿54.6

-51.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$2.33 ฿77.8

-45.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.6

$2.07 ฿69.1

-70.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.57

$1.55 ฿51.6

-76.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.1

$1.46 ฿48.54

-58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 ₹38.97

$0.98 ฿32.86

-58.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.22

$0.48 ฿16.09

-35.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ₹367

$4.35 ฿145

-11.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₹874

$18.57 ฿620

-50.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₹160

$1.86 ฿61.9

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₹232

$2.65 ฿88.6

-8.30%

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

$7.52 ₹717

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.93

$1.42 ฿47.28

-84.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.82 ₹269

$11.57 ฿386

-75.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 ₹52.8

$3.17 ฿106

-82.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.99

$1.03 ฿34.41

-68.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ₹192

$13.89 ฿463

-85.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹118

$1.34 ฿44.84

-7.46%

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

$15.6K ₹1.5M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-43.80%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-32.91%

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

$42.68 ₹4,070

$123 ฿4,105

-65.31%

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

$4.02 ₹383

$13.77 ฿459

-70.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.21 ₹688

$18.33 ฿611

-60.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.02 ₹1,528

$60.7 ฿2,025

-73.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.50 ₹1,097

$17.16 ฿573

-32.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ₹380

$8.87 ฿296

-55.13%

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

$43.92 ₹4,188

$688 ฿22.9K

-93.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,619 ₹154.4K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-89.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.83 ₹2,654

$59.3 ฿1,978

-53.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.44 ₹2,903

$34.69 ฿1,157

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.24 ₹4,696

$115 ฿3,843

-57.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.37 ₹2,992

$83.8 ฿2,794

-62.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 ₹15.2K

$621 ฿20.7K

-74.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 ₹8,481

$446 ฿14.9K

-80.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 ₹36.9K

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-80.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ₹18.3K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-87.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,195 ₹113.9K

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-65.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$578 ₹55.1K

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-77.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 ₹36.3K

$494 ฿16.5K

-22.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

5.33

85.74%

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 30% 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $114 vs $291 per month, with Kolkata (Calcutta) 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

Kolkata (Calcutta) vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 197% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 30% 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: $159 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $426 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 197% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 310% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kolkata (Calcutta) but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kolkata (Calcutta) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolkata (Calcutta) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolkata (Calcutta) hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.