Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota and Thrissur Cost of Living Comparison Between Kota and Thrissur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $366 in Kota versus $412 in Thrissur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $582 in Kota versus $620 in Thrissur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $798 in Kota versus $828 in Thrissur.

Living in Kota costs roughly 11% less than in Thrissur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota 73% lower, Thrissur 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.39 ₹228

$1.43 ₹136

67.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.97 ₹853

$8.75 ₹832

2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.97 ₹283

$4.52 ₹429

-34.29%

Cappuccino

$0.75 ₹71.4

$1.28 ₹122

-41.41%

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

$0.37 ₹35.09

$0.46 ₹43.82

-19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.75

$0.16 ₹15.37

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₹162

$2.30 ₹219

-25.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ₹296

$4.41 ₹420

-29.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹60.0

$0.67 ₹63.4

-5.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₹41.16

$0.61 ₹58.1

-29.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.5

$0.55 ₹52.1

36.36%

Eggs

$0.90 ₹86.0

$0.87 ₹82.6

3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.89 ₹465

$3.52 ₹335

38.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ₹257

$3.33 ₹316

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ₹168

$2.16 ₹206

-18.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.1

$0.76 ₹72.7

-26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.2

$1.44 ₹137

-48.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.72

$0.43 ₹41.17

6.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹29.01

$0.41 ₹39.41

-24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.64

$0.47 ₹44.69

-2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 ₹34.67

$1.05 ₹99.9

-65.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.03

$0.33 ₹31.76

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ₹371

$4.77 ₹454

-18.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 ₹732

$3.12 ₹297

146.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₹165

$2.44 ₹232

-29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₹356

$4.19 ₹398

-10.74%

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

$4.35 ₹414

$4.17 ₹396

4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 ₹57.1

$0.22 ₹20.85

172.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.95 ₹851

$3.43 ₹326

160.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.85

$0.90 ₹85.6

-58.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.93

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$1.13 ₹107

26.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₹114

$1.19 ₹113

0.84%

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

$11.8K ₹1.1M

$12.8K ₹1.2M

-7.79%

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

$16.6K ₹1.6M

$19.3K ₹1.8M

-14.40%

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

$30.71 ₹2,920

$82.8 ₹7,876

-62.92%

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

$2.92 ₹278

$3.36 ₹319

-13.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.16 ₹681

$7.44 ₹708

-3.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.68 ₹1,015

$10.30 ₹979

3.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.32 ₹221

$12.29 ₹1,169

-81.12%

Cinema Ticket

$3.56 ₹338

$2.39 ₹227

48.95%

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

$37.40 ₹3,557

$65.8 ₹6,258

-43.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$728 ₹69.2K

$1,307 ₹124.3K

-44.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.81 ₹1,979

$19.96 ₹1,898

4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.68 ₹2,632

$13.87 ₹1,319

99.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.2 ₹4,866

$35.39 ₹3,366

44.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.41 ₹2,416

$27.79 ₹2,643

-8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 ₹15.2K

$129 ₹12.3K

23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.0 ₹8,558

$81.1 ₹7,709

11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 ₹29.2K

$349 ₹33.2K

-12.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ₹17.7K

$177 ₹16.8K

5.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$562 ₹53.5K

$3,365 ₹320.0K

-83.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$334 ₹31.8K

$1,717 ₹163.3K

-80.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 ₹40.3K

$341 ₹32.4K

24.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

10.22

-26.61%

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

Last update for Kota: June 6, 2026

Last update for Thrissur: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $159 in Kota and $129 in Thrissur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kota pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $9.00 in Kota vs $9.00 in Thrissur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $102 vs $106 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 Thrissur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kota and Thrissur differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($366 vs $412 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kota pays 24% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $159 in Kota versus $129 in Thrissur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Thrissur. 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 $9.00 versus $9.00 in Thrissur. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kota gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Thrissur 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 12% less than in Thrissur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.