Cost of Living Comparison Between Anuradhapura and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Anuradhapura and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $489 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $823 per month in Anuradhapura vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,157 per month in Anuradhapura vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 61% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Anuradhapura and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Anuradhapura 63% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 LKR 1,296

$4.70 ฿153

-16.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.39 LKR 8,419

$45.37 ฿1,482

-44.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,788

$8.43 ฿275

-0.24%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 871

$2.93 ฿95.6

-10.24%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.37 ฿11.99

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 791

$2.41 ฿78.6

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,125

$3.72 ฿122

-8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 572

$2.23 ฿72.9

-22.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$1.83 ฿59.8

-69.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$2.17 ฿70.8

-60.83%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 736

$2.21 ฿72.3

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 LKR 4,587

$19.74 ฿645

-29.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,555

$3.63 ฿119

29.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,659

$13.53 ฿442

-40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,406

$3.28 ฿107

121.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.61 ฿52.6

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,958

$2.41 ฿78.6

145.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$2.08 ฿68.1

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 364

$1.53 ฿49.93

-28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 471

$1.48 ฿48.36

-4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

$0.99 ฿32.29

16.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

$0.51 ฿16.67

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

$4.41 ฿144

130.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,236

$19.38 ฿633

-34.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 685

$1.78 ฿58.1

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 953

$2.71 ฿88.6

5.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$3.02 ฿98.6

-87.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.99 ฿32.48

-64.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 186

$14.10 ฿461

-96.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 396

$1.36 ฿44.51

-11.76%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-4.02%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

7.15%

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

$26.43 LKR 8,764

$122 ฿3,975

-78.28%

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

$3.25 LKR 1,079

$13.57 ฿443

-76.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.92 LKR 4,948

$18.31 ฿598

-18.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,090

$8.69 ฿284

-62.14%

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

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

$693 ฿22.6K

-94.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 145.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-97.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,292

$59.5 ฿1,944

-52.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,504

$34.77 ฿1,136

-43.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

$115 ฿3,743

-39.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-53.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

5.33

208.63%

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

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $293 – making Anuradhapura the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Anuradhapura vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $489 in Anuradhapura, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 159% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $734 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $489, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $489 in Anuradhapura to $1,265 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. 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.