Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kalisz

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalisz: $1,136 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $850 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Kalisz
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,136
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kalisz

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 Kalisz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $1,136 in Kalisz, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Kalisz $1,136

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $1,596 in Kalisz, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Kalisz $1,596

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $2,056 in Kalisz, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Kalisz $2,056

Phuket costs about 6% more than Kalisz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Kalisz are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Kalisz 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$8.73 zł 33.92
-47.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$30.31 zł 118
7.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$8.87 zł 34.47
-3.61%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$3.08 zł 11.96
-11.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$2.00 zł 7.76
-53.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$1.63 zł 6.33
-69.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$2.49 zł 9.68
4.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$2.59 zł 10.07
47.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$0.92 zł 3.59
89.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$1.21 zł 4.71
18.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$1.62 zł 6.29
-5.56%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.95 zł 11.44
-26.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$7.96 zł 30.91
140.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$4.34 zł 16.87
-23.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$9.22 zł 35.82
20.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$1.07 zł 4.15
175.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$1.60 zł 6.22
5.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$1.57 zł 6.12
46.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$3.10 zł 12.03
-31.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$0.79 zł 3.06
93.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$1.01 zł 3.92
34.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$1.30 zł 5.05
-13.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.55 zł 2.16
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$4.68 zł 18.18
-8.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$6.98 zł 27.14
160.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$0.87 zł 3.39
100.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$1.39 zł 5.40
100.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$1.04 zł 4.04
113.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$34.99 zł 136
-36.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$2.00 zł 7.75
45.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.05 zł 4.08
-3.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$6.51 zł 25.30
-41.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.57 zł 6.11
-5.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$30.5K zł 118.5K
-12.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$27.4K zł 106.5K
-2.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$186 zł 724
-46.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$10.06 zł 39.08
12.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$16.83 zł 65.4
3.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$31.87 zł 124
64.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$6.46 zł 25.11
17.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$248 zł 964
125.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$5,003 zł 19.4K
129.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$83.4 zł 324
-24.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$25.41 zł 98.7
12.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$79.2 zł 308
21.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$88.5 zł 344
-0.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$445 zł 1,730
63.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$354 zł 1,376
29.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$538 zł 2,092
289.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$457 zł 1,774
167.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$1,968 zł 7,648
75.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$1,462 zł 5,679
70.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kalisz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$1,190 zł 4,622
-58.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.21
-10.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kalisz: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Kalisz
$354 23% $106
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Kalisz
$187 30.1% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Kalisz
$213 66.7% $85
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Kalisz
$124 0.3% $0.4
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Kalisz
$166 36.5% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Kalisz
$45 33.6% $23
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Kalisz
$46 19.3% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $445 in Kalisz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 141% higher in Kalisz, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Kalisz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $187 – making Kalisz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇵🇱 Kalisz
🕒 Local time
21:04 9:04 PM
16:04 4:04 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
103,997
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kalisz 8,650 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kalisz

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 Kalisz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kalisz cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,811 per month in Phuket and $1,704 in Kalisz. 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 Kalisz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 59% less in Kalisz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $558 per month in Phuket and $248 in Kalisz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Kalisz?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalisz, where all-in costs run around $1,136, than in Phuket at $1,207. In Kalisz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Kalisz more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kalisz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Kalisz?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kalisz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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