Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalasin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalasin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $933 in Kalasin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,537 in Kalasin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,140 in Kalasin.

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than in Kalasin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kalasin 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$5.28 ฿174

-11.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$21.77 ฿719

48.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.53 ฿150

91.61%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.09 ฿69.2

38.76%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.64 ฿21.09

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.31 ฿10.18

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.08 ฿68.7

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.12 ฿103

19.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.88 ฿62.0

0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.48 ฿48.80

-4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.21 ฿39.87

33.88%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.16 ฿71.5

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$15.95 ฿527

24.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.44 ฿80.8

42.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.60 ฿350

7.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.30 ฿109

-12.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.24 ฿41.03

38.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.98 ฿65.5

14.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.71 ฿56.4

24.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.55 ฿51.2

-5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.95 ฿31.28

49.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.00 ฿32.91

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.55 ฿18.18

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.76 ฿157

-9.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$14.76 ฿488

26.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.65 ฿54.6

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.57 ฿84.8

15.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.88 ฿29.22

155.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.11 ฿36.57

179.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.27 ฿41.86

-14.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$4.46 ฿147

-13.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.36 ฿44.99

5.15%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$25.4K ฿838.5K

9.49%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$29.1K ฿960.8K

-7.21%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$82.8 ฿2,737

26.52%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$11.16 ฿369

2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$21.35 ฿705

-17.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$52.5 ฿1,733

3.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$15.30 ฿505

-25.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$6.53 ฿216

19.14%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$513 ฿16.9K

12.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$9,961 ฿329.1K

16.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$48.54 ฿1,604

31.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$30.40 ฿1,005

-4.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$84.6 ฿2,794

13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$79.4 ฿2,624

13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$465 ฿15.4K

57.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$281 ฿9,293

78.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,343 ฿44.4K

58.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$804 ฿26.6K

55.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,963 ฿64.9K

80.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,647 ฿54.4K

59.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kalasin: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $465 in Kalasin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Kalasin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $239 per month, with Kalasin 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 Kalasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalasin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,400 in Kalasin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $465 in Kalasin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $513 in Kalasin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalasin – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $933 in Kalasin versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kalasin but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kalasin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kalasin 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 Kalasin 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 Kalasin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.