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: $376 in Kota versus $415 in Thrissur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $587 in Kota versus $607 in Thrissur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $798 in Kota versus $800 in Thrissur.

Living in Kota costs roughly 9% less than in Thrissur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kota 72% lower, Thrissur 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 ₹226

$1.39 ₹132

71.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.59 ₹815

$8.49 ₹806

1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.89 ₹275

$4.55 ₹432

-36.48%

Cappuccino

$0.71 ₹67.6

$1.33 ₹126

-46.62%

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

$0.37 ₹34.81

$0.46 ₹43.77

-19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.45

$0.20 ₹18.70

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₹163

$2.37 ₹225

-27.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₹298

$4.48 ₹425

-30.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹58.9

$0.69 ₹65.6

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₹43.88

$0.56 ₹53.3

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.9

$0.56 ₹53.1

44.64%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.4

$0.91 ₹86.3

4.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 ₹478

$3.48 ₹330

44.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 ₹259

$3.26 ₹310

-16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₹163

$2.19 ₹208

-21.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.01

$0.81 ₹76.5

-35.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 ₹74.7

$1.45 ₹138

-45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹42.40

$0.44 ₹41.81

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹31.88

$0.45 ₹42.83

-24.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₹42.93

$0.47 ₹44.56

-4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ₹31.73

$0.99 ₹94.0

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹34.82

$0.33 ₹31.72

12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ₹373

$4.77 ₹453

-17.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 ₹747

$3.16 ₹300

149.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₹164

$2.41 ₹228

-28.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₹354

$4.28 ₹407

-12.85%

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

$4.22 ₹400

$4.20 ₹398

0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹53.4

$0.24 ₹22.87

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.96 ₹850

$3.47 ₹329

158.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 ₹34.29

$0.94 ₹89.3

-61.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₹141

$1.18 ₹112

25.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹112

$1.24 ₹118

-4.84%

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

$11.6K ₹1.1M

$12.9K ₹1.2M

-10.56%

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

$16.5K ₹1.6M

$19.6K ₹1.9M

-16.17%

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

$30.43 ₹2,889

$82.9 ₹7,873

-63.31%

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

$2.92 ₹277

$3.38 ₹321

-13.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.46 ₹708

$7.70 ₹731

-3.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.46 ₹993

$10.30 ₹978

1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.39 ₹227

$12.27 ₹1,165

-80.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 ₹337

$2.28 ₹217

55.70%

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

$37.49 ₹3,560

$65.2 ₹6,190

-42.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$716 ₹68.0K

$1,313 ₹124.6K

-45.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.53 ₹2,044

$19.42 ₹1,844

10.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.89 ₹2,553

$14.18 ₹1,346

89.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.7 ₹4,816

$35.15 ₹3,337

44.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.79 ₹2,353

$28.03 ₹2,661

-11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 ₹15.3K

$127 ₹12.0K

27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.2 ₹8,562

$81.8 ₹7,763

10.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₹28.9K

$349 ₹33.1K

-12.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₹18.1K

$177 ₹16.8K

7.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$561 ₹53.3K

$3,344 ₹317.5K

-83.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$338 ₹32.1K

$1,781 ₹169.1K

-81.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$423 ₹40.2K

$350 ₹33.2K

20.88%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Thrissur: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Kota and $127 in Thrissur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kota pays 21% 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 $8.00 in Thrissur. Groceries flip the comparison at $103 vs $106, with Kota cheaper for home cooking.

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 10% in total monthly costs ($376 vs $415 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Kota pays 21% 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: $162 in Kota versus $127 in Thrissur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $8.00 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 10% less than in Thrissur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.