Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalimantan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalimantan: $635 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Kalimantan, Indonesia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Kalimantan
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$635
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kalimantan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kalimantan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $635 in Kalimantan, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Kalimantan $635

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,013 in Kalimantan, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Kalimantan $1,013

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,391 in Kalimantan, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Kalimantan $1,391

Phuket costs about 101% more than Kalimantan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Kalimantan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kalimantan 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$1.69 Rp 30.6K
164.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$14.48 Rp 262.6K
123.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$3.07 Rp 55.8K
186.97%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.4
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
93.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.42
$0.43 Rp 7,871
102.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.66
$0.24 Rp 4,310
104.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.3
$2.33 Rp 42.4K
9.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.47 Rp 63.0K
6.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.23 Rp 22.2K
34.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.32
$1.17 Rp 21.2K
24.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$0.86 Rp 15.7K
74.42%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.62 Rp 29.3K
29.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿643
$7.04 Rp 127.6K
170.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$3.07 Rp 55.7K
7.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$7.77 Rp 141.0K
40.41%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿98.9
$1.93 Rp 34.9K
51.81%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.0
$1.20 Rp 21.8K
40.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.36 Rp 24.6K
65.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$1.14 Rp 20.6K
82.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.20 Rp 21.7K
25.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.54
$1.80 Rp 32.7K
-23.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.97
$0.77 Rp 13.9K
38.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.51
$0.41 Rp 7,469
26.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$2.54 Rp 46.1K
65.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$24.01 Rp 435.6K
-21.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.92 Rp 34.9K
-5.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$2.78 Rp 50.4K
2.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.00
$0.21 Rp 3,859
590.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,912
$11.77 Rp 213.6K
381.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$0.48 Rp 8,700
529.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.34
$0.37 Rp 6,666
175.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$2.92 Rp 53.0K
26.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.78
$0.89 Rp 16.2K
65.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿903.7K
$25.4K Rp 459.9M
5.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿900.8K
$32.7K Rp 592.8M
-18.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,252
$70.8 Rp 1.3M
36.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$3.81 Rp 69.2K
195.54%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$21.30 Rp 386.3K
-20.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,269
$17.65 Rp 320.2K
280.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$8.95 Rp 162.3K
19.89%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$2.60 Rp 47.1K
188.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$89.1 Rp 1.6M
434.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.1K
$8,037 Rp 145.8M
40.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,105
$48.15 Rp 873.3K
29.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$24.48 Rp 444.1K
16.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,182
$74.9 Rp 1.4M
25.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,896
$76.6 Rp 1.4M
12.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$210 Rp 3.8M
240.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$139 Rp 2.5M
254.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.0K
$542 Rp 9.8M
255.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$361 Rp 6.5M
296.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿140.9K
$1,307 Rp 23.7M
219.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$900 Rp 16.3M
238.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kalimantan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
9.46
-41.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kalimantan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Kalimantan
$139 71.8% $352
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Kalimantan
$200 24.9% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Kalimantan
$96 22.9% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Kalimantan
$101 17.2% $21
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Kalimantan
$62 49.4% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Kalimantan
$23 72.2% $59
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Kalimantan
$15 78.8% $56

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $210 in Kalimantan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $14 in Kalimantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $200 – making Kalimantan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇮🇩 Kalimantan
🕒 Local time
14:02 2:02 PM
15:02 3:02 PM
1 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,252 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kalimantan 1,950 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kalimantan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kalimantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kalimantan cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 101%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $952 in Kalimantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalimantan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $210 there versus $716 in Phuket.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Kalimantan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $14 in Kalimantan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Kalimantan?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $635 in Kalimantan. That makes Kalimantan about 50% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Kalimantan?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kalimantan, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Kalimantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Kalimantan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kalimantan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Kalimantan is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 50% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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