Cost of Living Comparison Between Thrissur and Kota Cost of Living Comparison Between Thrissur and Kota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $368 in Thrissur versus $335 in Kota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $573 in Thrissur versus $536 in Kota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $777 in Thrissur versus $738 in Kota.

Living in Thrissur is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kota, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Thrissur 73% lower, Kota 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.23 ₹118

$2.14 ₹205

-42.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.24 ₹791

$7.99 ₹767

3.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 ₹384

$2.68 ₹257

49.63%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ₹122

$0.65 ₹62.0

95.38%

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

$0.40 ₹38.71

$0.35 ₹34.04

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.29

$0.17 ₹16.70

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹204

$1.56 ₹149

36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₹323

$3.20 ₹307

5.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹61.4

$0.59 ₹56.6

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.9

$0.41 ₹38.98

29.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.08

$0.64 ₹61.3

-25.00%

Eggs

$0.91 ₹87.6

$0.82 ₹79.1

10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.98 ₹477

$4.31 ₹414

15.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ₹260

$2.67 ₹256

1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ₹194

$1.52 ₹146

32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.3

$0.51 ₹49.25

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ₹132

$0.67 ₹64.7

104.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.54

$0.44 ₹41.81

-4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹43.06

$0.31 ₹30.11

45.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.49

$0.40 ₹38.65

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 ₹78.5

$0.32 ₹31.14

156.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.38

$0.28 ₹26.46

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 ₹485

$4.24 ₹406

19.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.08 ₹296

$7.68 ₹737

-59.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₹189

$1.49 ₹143

32.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₹357

$1.93 ₹185

92.75%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$3.71 ₹356

$4.74 ₹455

-21.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.12

$0.54 ₹51.7

-59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.62 ₹635

$25.99 ₹2,493

-74.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₹150

$0.30 ₹28.63

420.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₹51.5

$0.22 ₹21.15

145.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹97.8

$1.02 ₹98.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₹103

$1.10 ₹105

-1.82%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$15.7K ₹1.5M

-1.76%

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

$18.8K ₹1.8M

$17.2K ₹1.7M

8.88%

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

$52.0 ₹4,990

$13.16 ₹1,262

295.21%

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

$2.97 ₹285

$2.49 ₹239

19.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.00 ₹672

$6.27 ₹602

11.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.35 ₹1,089

$10.34 ₹992

9.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.79 ₹1,035

$4.11 ₹394

162.53%

Cinema Ticket

$2.53 ₹243

$3.05 ₹292

-17.05%

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

$59.1 ₹5,672

$33.94 ₹3,256

74.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,144 ₹109.8K

$648 ₹62.1K

76.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.10 ₹1,833

$22.08 ₹2,119

-13.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.07 ₹1,446

$32.79 ₹3,146

-54.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.58 ₹2,838

$34.83 ₹3,341

-15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.15 ₹2,605

$21.02 ₹2,017

29.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 ₹11.7K

$143 ₹13.7K

-14.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.4 ₹8,189

$79.0 ₹7,578

8.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₹28.9K

$269 ₹25.9K

11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₹16.7K

$171 ₹16.4K

1.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,332 ₹319.6K

$556 ₹53.3K

499.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,720 ₹165.0K

$333 ₹31.9K

416.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 ₹29.6K

$417 ₹40.0K

-25.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

7.5

57.73%

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

Last update for Thrissur: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kota: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Thrissur and $143 in Kota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kota pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Thrissur vs $8.00 in Kota. Groceries flip the comparison at $100 vs $91.0, with Kota cheaper for home cooking.

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

Thrissur vs Kota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thrissur and Kota differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($368 vs $335 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Kota. 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: $122 in Thrissur versus $143 in Kota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Thrissur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $8.00 in Thrissur. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kota gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Thrissur and Kota 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 Kota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Thrissur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.