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Bangkok vs Kolkata cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐น๐ญ Bangkok
๐ฎ๐ณ Kolkata
At a glance
- Where Kolkata is clearly cheaper: Transit (87%โ), Studio rent (month) (76%โ), Convenience store (69%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Kolkata is easier to travel (2.4 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bangkok 4 vs Kolkata 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bangkok | Kolkata | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | เธฟ 100$3.03 | โน 180$2.14 | Kolkata โ29% |
| Street food1 item | เธฟ 60$1.82 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ54% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | เธฟ 400$12.1 | โน 550$6.55 | Kolkata โ46% |
| Coffeeone cup | เธฟ 85$2.58 | โน 170$2.02 | Kolkata โ21% |
| Beerone bottle | เธฟ 130$3.94 | โน 220$2.62 | Kolkata โ34% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | เธฟ 300$9.09 | โน 500$5.95 | Kolkata โ35% |
| Bottled water | เธฟ 10$0.3 | โน 10$0.12 | Kolkata โ61% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | เธฟ 25$0.76 | โน 20$0.24 | Kolkata โ69% |
| Taxi5 km in town | เธฟ 115$3.48 | โน 150$1.79 | Kolkata โ49% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | เธฟ 30$0.91 | โน 60$0.71 | Kolkata โ21% |
| Transitone ride | เธฟ 35$1.06 | โน 12$0.14 | Kolkata โ87% |
| Scooter rentalper day | เธฟ 250$7.58 | โน 400$4.76 | Kolkata โ37% |
| Hotel night3-star | เธฟ 1,600$48.5 | โน 3,600$42.9 | Kolkata โ12% |
| Studio rent (month) | เธฟ 18,000$545 | โน 11,000$131 | Kolkata โ76% |
| Laundry | เธฟ 40$1.21 | โน 70$0.83 | Kolkata โ31% |
| SIM card1 week data | เธฟ 299$9.06 | โน 350$4.17 | Kolkata โ54% |
| Haircutcut | เธฟ 150$4.55 | โน 200$2.38 | Kolkata โ48% |
| Massage1 hour | เธฟ 350$10.6 | โน 1,000$11.9 | Bangkok โ11% |
| Half-day tourper person | เธฟ 1,200$36.4 | โน 1,500$17.9 | Kolkata โ51% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | เธฟ 500$15.2 | โน 500$5.95 | Kolkata โ61% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bangkok or Kolkata?
Kolkata is 44% cheaper than Bangkok. Daily budget $85.6 vs $65.3; a month $1,823 vs $668.
Which is easier to travel, Bangkok or Kolkata?
Kolkata is easier: Kolkata 2.4/5 vs Bangkok 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bangkok and Kolkata?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bangkok is about $1,823 and Kolkata about $668 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.