Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kolasin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kolasin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,249 in Kolasin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,920 in Kolasin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,591 in Kolasin.

Living in Phuket is roughly 1% more expensive than in Kolasin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kolasin 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$5.76 €4.97

-19.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$28.94 €24.95

11.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$9.15 €7.89

-5.14%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.49 €1.28

94.63%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.83 €1.58

-54.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.19 €1.03

-58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.85 €2.45

-12.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.85 €2.46

30.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.19 €1.03

58.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.99 €0.86

42.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.92 €2.51

-44.52%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.14 €2.71

-28.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.18 €7.91

116.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$7.61 €6.56

-54.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$13.07 €11.26

-13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.35 €1.16

114.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.63 €1.41

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.69 €1.45

34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.11 €2.68

-31.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.90 €0.78

63.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.33 €1.15

6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.57 €1.36

-29.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.99 €0.86

-39.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.97 €3.42

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$4.67 €4.03

298.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.34 €1.16

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.83 €1.58

62.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$1.70 €1.47

32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$41.00 €35.34

-42.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.14 €0.98

171.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.19 €1.02

-9.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$17.53 €15.11

-77.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.79 €1.54

-20.11%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$33.4K €28.8K

-16.79%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$21.9K €18.9K

23.02%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$91.7 €79.0

14.32%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$13.68 €11.79

-16.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$29.49 €25.42

-40.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$46.00 €39.65

18.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$15.16 €13.07

-24.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.98 €6.88

-2.51%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$457 €394

26.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$7,337 €6,325

57.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$88.2 €76.1

-27.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$34.82 €30.01

-16.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$75.9 €65.5

26.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$100 €86.3

-10.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$673 €581

8.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$480 €414

4.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,323 €1,140

60.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$954 €822

31.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$3,563 €3,071

-0.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$2,380 €2,052

10.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$890 €767

-42.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kolasin: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $673 in Kolasin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolasin pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $29.00 in Kolasin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $233 per month, with Kolasin 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 Kolasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kolasin differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,249 including rent). Kolasin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Kolasin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $673 in Kolasin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,249 in Kolasin – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolasin runs roughly 75% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,249 in Kolasin versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kolasin but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kolasin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kolasin 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 Kolasin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.