Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $335 in Kota versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $536 in Kota versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $738 in Kota versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Kota costs roughly 73% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota 76% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₹205

$4.41 ฿147

-51.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.99 ₹767

$32.26 ฿1,077

-75.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.68 ₹257

$8.93 ฿298

-69.99%

Cappuccino

$0.65 ₹62.0

$2.90 ฿96.6

-77.59%

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

$0.35 ₹34.04

$0.88 ฿29.38

-60.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.70

$0.48 ฿16.06

-64.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ₹149

$2.35 ฿78.5

-33.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₹307

$3.72 ฿124

-13.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹56.6

$1.87 ฿62.3

-68.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 ₹38.98

$1.47 ฿48.94

-72.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$1.55 ฿51.8

-58.71%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹79.1

$2.10 ฿70.1

-60.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.31 ₹414

$19.59 ฿654

-78.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ₹256

$3.42 ฿114

-21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ₹146

$2.98 ฿99.6

-48.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.25

$1.68 ฿56.2

-69.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 ₹64.7

$2.21 ฿73.7

-69.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.81

$2.16 ฿72.1

-79.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹30.11

$1.52 ฿50.9

-79.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.65

$1.34 ฿44.67

-70.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ₹31.14

$1.13 ฿37.67

-71.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.46

$0.55 ฿18.24

-49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ₹406

$4.26 ฿142

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 ₹737

$19.09 ฿637

-59.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₹143

$1.78 ฿59.4

-16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₹185

$2.78 ฿92.9

-30.58%

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

$4.74 ₹455

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$2.23 ฿74.4

-75.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.99 ₹2,493

$22.74 ฿759

14.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 ₹28.63

$3.03 ฿101

-90.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₹21.15

$1.02 ฿34.15

-78.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹98.2

$3.89 ฿130

-73.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.49 ฿49.77

-26.17%

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

$15.7K ₹1.5M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-41.07%

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

$17.2K ₹1.7M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-36.18%

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

$13.16 ₹1,262

$102 ฿3,420

-87.16%

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

$2.49 ₹239

$11.33 ฿378

-78.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.27 ₹602

$17.40 ฿581

-63.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.34 ₹992

$52.1 ฿1,738

-80.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.11 ₹394

$11.07 ฿370

-62.87%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 ₹292

$7.69 ฿257

-60.34%

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

$33.94 ₹3,256

$561 ฿18.7K

-93.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$648 ₹62.1K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-94.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.08 ₹2,119

$63.0 ฿2,104

-64.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.79 ₹3,146

$29.52 ฿986

11.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.83 ₹3,341

$98.0 ฿3,272

-64.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$21.02 ₹2,017

$88.5 ฿2,954

-76.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 ₹13.7K

$738 ฿24.6K

-80.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.0 ₹7,578

$482 ฿16.1K

-83.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 ₹25.9K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-87.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ₹16.4K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-86.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$556 ₹53.3K

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-84.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$333 ₹31.9K

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-87.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$417 ₹40.0K

$494 ฿16.5K

-15.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.57

34.65%

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

Last update for Kota: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $143 in Kota and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 18% 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: $8.00 in Kota vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $91.0 vs $274 per month, with Kota 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

Kota vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota and Phuket differ by about 268% in total monthly costs ($335 vs $1,232 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $143 in Kota versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 202% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $335 in Kota versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kota but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kota 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 Kota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 268% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.