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 $496 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Anuradhapura vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Anuradhapura vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 60% 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

$4.03 LKR 1,355

$4.55 ฿153

-11.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.97 LKR 8,391

$46.18 ฿1,553

-45.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 LKR 2,761

$8.84 ฿297

-7.13%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 919

$3.06 ฿103

-10.78%

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

$0.72 LKR 244

$0.73 ฿24.40

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.40 ฿13.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 765

$2.43 ฿81.8

-6.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,134

$3.78 ฿127

-10.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 573

$2.26 ฿76.0

-24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.81 ฿60.9

-69.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 270

$2.25 ฿75.8

-64.44%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 750

$2.25 ฿75.5

-0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 LKR 4,792

$19.51 ฿656

-26.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 LKR 1,587

$3.65 ฿123

29.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 LKR 2,782

$13.05 ฿439

-36.55%

Apples (1kg)

$7.61 LKR 2,556

$3.23 ฿109

135.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 363

$1.62 ฿54.4

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 LKR 1,912

$2.38 ฿80.1

139.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 402

$2.03 ฿68.1

-40.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.53 ฿51.6

-27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 472

$1.50 ฿50.5

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

$0.98 ฿32.91

18.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.52 ฿17.39

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,333

$4.44 ฿149

123.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 LKR 4,197

$18.32 ฿616

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 703

$1.86 ฿62.7

12.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 963

$2.68 ฿90.1

7.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$3.11 ฿105

-87.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 120

$1.04 ฿35.06

-65.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 206

$14.11 ฿474

-95.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 407

$1.31 ฿44.10

-7.63%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-2.48%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

5.45%

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

$27.06 LKR 9,094

$122 ฿4,118

-77.90%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,147

$13.59 ฿457

-74.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 LKR 5,068

$18.70 ฿629

-19.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,146

$9.07 ฿305

-62.40%

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

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

$706 ฿23.8K

-94.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 150.3K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-97.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.71 LKR 9,312

$58.6 ฿1,969

-52.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 LKR 6,476

$35.36 ฿1,189

-45.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

$115 ฿3,883

-38.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

$83.7 ฿2,816

-53.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $289 – 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: $496 in Anuradhapura, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 152% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $744 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,875 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 $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $496, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $496 in Anuradhapura to $1,250 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.