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 $545 in Kalar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $826 in Kalar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,106 in Kalar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 132% more expensive than in Kalar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kalar 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.86 IQD 2,434

150.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$12.41 IQD 16.3K

159.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$3.64 IQD 4,770

138.46%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$0.99 IQD 1,299

192.93%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$0.52 IQD 683

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$0.14 IQD 184

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$6.03 IQD 7,902

-58.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.48 IQD 5,873

-16.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.10 IQD 1,441

71.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$0.76 IQD 996

85.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.54 IQD 2,021

5.19%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.32 IQD 1,728

69.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$3.48 IQD 4,558

470.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.24 IQD 2,930

55.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

-7.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$0.94 IQD 1,228

208.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.15 IQD 1,504

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$0.94 IQD 1,226

141.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$0.81 IQD 1,059

162.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$0.71 IQD 928

107.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$0.70 IQD 916

102.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$0.78 IQD 1,025

41.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$0.40 IQD 528

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.52 IQD 3,296

71.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

47.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$1.67 IQD 2,191

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$2.15 IQD 2,818

38.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.55 IQD 716

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

$30.21 IQD 39.6K

-22.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$1.86 IQD 2,440

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$3.78 IQD 4,947

2.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$0.67 IQD 875

113.43%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$16.7K IQD 21.8M

66.67%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$18.7K IQD 24.5M

44.23%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$52.8 IQD 69.2K

98.33%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$13.44 IQD 17.6K

-15.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$23.92 IQD 31.3K

-26.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

185.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$38.34 IQD 50.2K

-70.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

-0.13%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$50.8 IQD 66.5K

1035.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$1,532 IQD 2.0M

656.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$12.97 IQD 17.0K

390.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$14.14 IQD 18.5K

105.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$26.37 IQD 34.5K

264.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$32.17 IQD 42.1K

179.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$171 IQD 224.5K

327.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$106 IQD 138.8K

372.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$281 IQD 367.7K

656.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$148 IQD 193.9K

745.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

$3,286 IQD 4.3M

7.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

$451 IQD 591.1K

480.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$343 IQD 448.8K

48.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.53

120.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kalar: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $171 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Kalar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 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 132% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $171 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 $32.00 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 $545 in Kalar – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 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 132% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.