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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $523 in Kalar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $785 in Kalar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,047 in Kalar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 139% more expensive than in Kalar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.96 IQD 2,562

132.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$12.32 IQD 16.1K

274.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.73 IQD 4,890

137.00%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.00 IQD 1,311

206.00%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.48 IQD 634

52.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.16 IQD 212

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.99 IQD 2,607

22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.15 IQD 2,813

75.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.05 IQD 1,376

115.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.79 IQD 1,041

129.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.51 IQD 1,977

49.01%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.31 IQD 1,710

71.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.42 IQD 4,481

470.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.25 IQD 2,944

62.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$12.60 IQD 16.5K

3.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.95 IQD 1,243

240.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.19 IQD 1,554

36.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.94 IQD 1,233

153.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.77 IQD 1,003

163.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.69 IQD 906

121.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.70 IQD 917

114.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.73 IQD 958

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.45 IQD 588

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.72 IQD 3,565

63.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.58 IQD 16.5K

45.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.38 IQD 1,811

34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.93 IQD 2,529

38.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.59 IQD 773

138.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-62.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.29 IQD 2,998

35.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.90 IQD 2,488

-45.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.79 IQD 4,957

272.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.68 IQD 892

92.65%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$17.0K IQD 22.3M

63.71%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

74.88%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$53.7 IQD 70.3K

128.05%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$24.54 IQD 32.1K

-23.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

211.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$16.62 IQD 21.8K

2.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.60 IQD 9,949

19.34%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$50.1 IQD 65.6K

1310.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,558 IQD 2.0M

914.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$12.57 IQD 16.5K

365.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

149.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$27.05 IQD 35.4K

326.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$32.87 IQD 43.0K

154.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$170 IQD 222.8K

267.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$105 IQD 137.4K

324.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$290 IQD 379.7K

603.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$149 IQD 195.4K

899.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$3,310 IQD 4.3M

5.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$459 IQD 601.3K

461.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$337 IQD 441.5K

48.27%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kalar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $170 in Kalar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 48% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $156 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 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 48% higher in Phuket, 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: $626 in Phuket versus $170 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $523 in Kalar – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $523 in Kalar versus $1,250 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 139% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.