Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $519 in Kalar.

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

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

Living in Phuket is roughly 144% more expensive than Kalar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$1.86 IQD 2,435

152.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$12.16 IQD 15.9K

273.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$3.61 IQD 4,722

133.52%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.04 IQD 1,365

181.73%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.49 IQD 637

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.15 IQD 200

146.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.93 IQD 2,528

24.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.06 IQD 2,700

80.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.05 IQD 1,374

112.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.85 IQD 1,107

115.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.56 IQD 2,042

39.10%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.32 IQD 1,730

67.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.52 IQD 4,604

460.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.35 IQD 3,079

54.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$12.29 IQD 16.1K

10.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.92 IQD 1,204

256.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.14 IQD 1,495

41.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.00 IQD 1,309

141.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.75 IQD 980

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.70 IQD 920

118.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.72 IQD 941

105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.71 IQD 934

39.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.44 IQD 581

15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.65 IQD 3,468

66.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$12.66 IQD 16.6K

53.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.43 IQD 1,877

24.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.95 IQD 2,550

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.59 IQD 776

132.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

-63.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.33 IQD 3,054

29.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.88 IQD 2,456

-47.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.79 IQD 4,966

272.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.64 IQD 840

112.50%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$16.9K IQD 22.2M

66.72%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

75.08%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$54.5 IQD 71.3K

123.51%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

0.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$23.89 IQD 31.3K

-23.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$19.20 IQD 25.1K

213.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.55 IQD 9,881

15.10%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$52.0 IQD 68.1K

1232.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,522 IQD 2.0M

930.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$12.83 IQD 16.8K

363.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$13.93 IQD 18.2K

149.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$26.51 IQD 34.7K

332.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$32.27 IQD 42.3K

158.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$174 IQD 228.0K

252.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$105 IQD 137.0K

317.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$282 IQD 368.6K

643.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$146 IQD 190.5K

937.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$3,312 IQD 4.3M

13.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$456 IQD 597.7K

473.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$337 IQD 441.8K

50.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.67

-6.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kalar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $174 in Kalar. 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $157 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

Phuket vs Kalar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 51% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $174 in Kalar. 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 $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $519 in Kalar – 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, Phuket and Kalar 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.