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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $938 in Kalasin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,506 in Kalasin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,073 in Kalasin.

Living in Phuket is roughly 35% more expensive than in Kalasin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kalasin 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.09 ฿103

44.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$26.99 ฿903

68.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.63 ฿289

1.51%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$1.99 ฿66.6

49.25%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.73 ฿24.50

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.35 ฿11.68

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$2.43 ฿81.4

4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.71 ฿124

1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.68 ฿56.2

27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$1.21 ฿40.58

50.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$1.27 ฿42.35

71.65%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.15 ฿71.9

4.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$18.38 ฿615

8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.00 ฿100

21.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$10.89 ฿364

24.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$3.22 ฿108

0.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.25 ฿41.81

31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.92 ฿64.1

21.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.58 ฿52.9

31.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.52 ฿50.8

1.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.25 ฿41.98

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$1.02 ฿34.20

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.48 ฿16.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$4.29 ฿143

1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$17.61 ฿589

5.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.76 ฿58.8

5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.74 ฿91.8

-3.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.90 ฿30.13

57.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.09 ฿36.54

190.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$1.20 ฿40.03

-14.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$6.30 ฿211

120.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.24 ฿41.32

8.06%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$27.6K ฿924.7K

0.52%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.7K ฿925.6K

20.63%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$76.6 ฿2,564

60.56%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$13.92 ฿466

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$18.84 ฿630

-2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$48.77 ฿1,631

24.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$12.02 ฿402

42.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$7.14 ฿239

24.23%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$296 ฿9,906

132.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$9,703 ฿324.6K

62.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$33.46 ฿1,119

77.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$35.19 ฿1,177

-1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$101 ฿3,383

13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$70.8 ฿2,367

18.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$416 ฿13.9K

49.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$284 ฿9,491

57.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$823 ฿27.5K

147.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$659 ฿22.1K

126.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$2,202 ฿73.7K

56.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

$1,664 ฿55.7K

52.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kalasin: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $416 in Kalasin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Kalasin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $251 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,407 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: $621 in Phuket versus $416 in Kalasin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $296 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 $27.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $938 in Kalasin versus $1,264 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 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.