Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kolasin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolasin: $1,198 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $960 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Kolasin, Montenegro
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Kolasin
🇲🇪 Montenegro
$1,198
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kolasin

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $1,198 in Kolasin.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Kolasin $1,198

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,873 in Kolasin.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Kolasin $1,873

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,549 in Kolasin.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Kolasin $2,549

Living in Phuket is roughly 7% more expensive than in Kolasin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kolasin 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$5.49 €4.94
-18.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$27.78 €24.96
16.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$8.90 €8.00
-1.01%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$1.42 €1.28
99.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$1.78 €1.60
-51.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$1.15 €1.03
-57.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$2.76 €2.48
-7.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$2.81 €2.53
30.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$1.15 €1.03
44.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$0.97 €0.87
50.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$2.79 €2.51
-46.24%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$3.10 €2.78
-32.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$9.18 €8.25
107.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$7.16 €6.43
-53.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$12.77 €11.47
-14.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$1.32 €1.19
121.97%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.51 €1.36
11.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$1.58 €1.42
42.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$2.89 €2.60
-28.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$0.89 €0.80
69.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.24 €1.12
11.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.52 €1.37
-29.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.93 €0.83
-44.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$3.99 €3.59
5.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$4.52 €4.07
315.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.23 €1.10
47.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$1.78 €1.59
59.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
$1.64 €1.48
-11.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
$33.50 €30.10
69.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.14 €1.02
164.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$1.09 €0.98
-6.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$16.92 €15.20
-78.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.70 €1.52
-13.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$32.6K €29.3K
-17.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$21.6K €19.4K
23.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$88.1 €79.2
9.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$13.18 €11.84
-14.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$28.07 €25.22
-39.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$44.19 €39.71
52.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
$16.25 €14.60
-33.97%
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$7.59 €6.82
-1.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$441 €396
8.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$6,894 €6,194
63.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$85.1 €76.4
-26.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$34.15 €30.68
-16.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$72.1 €64.8
30.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$95.8 €86.0
-10.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$662 €594
8.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$490 €441
0.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,359 €1,221
41.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$995 €894
43.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$3,647 €3,277
14.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$2,375 €2,134
28.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kolasin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$851 €765
-40.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
7
-20.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kolasin: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Kolasin
$490 0.1% $0.6
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Kolasin
$224 15.9% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Kolasin
$129 3.9% $4.9
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Kolasin
$129 6% $7.3
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Kolasin
$119 2.3% $2.8
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Kolasin
$59 27.8% $23
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Kolasin
$47 33.9% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $662 in Kolasin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolasin pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $28 in Kolasin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $224 per month, with Kolasin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇲🇪 Kolasin
🕒 Local time
22:43 10:43 PM
16:43 4:43 PM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
2,900
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kolasin 8,510 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kolasin

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 Kolasin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Kolasin?
Phuket and Kolasin differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,278 vs $1,198 including rent). Kolasin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Kolasin?
Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $662 in Kolasin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Kolasin?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $1,198 in Kolasin – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Kolasin?
A monthly transit pass in Kolasin runs roughly 41% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
How far does $2,000 go in Phuket compared to Kolasin?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Kolasin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Kolasin?
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.
Is Phuket or Kolasin safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Kolasin?
Expats usually find Kolasin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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