Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentota and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Bentota versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $904 in Bentota versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,020 in Bentota versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Bentota costs roughly 36% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bentota 42% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 LKR 1,489

$4.41 ฿147

2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 LKR 3,985

$32.26 ฿1,074

-62.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 LKR 2,524

$8.93 ฿297

-14.56%

Cappuccino

$2.41 LKR 796

$2.90 ฿96.4

-16.90%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$0.88 ฿29.30

-21.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 90.0

$0.48 ฿16.01

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 747

$2.35 ฿78.3

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,019

$3.72 ฿124

-17.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 516

$1.87 ฿62.1

-16.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$1.47 ฿48.81

-63.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 253

$1.55 ฿51.7

-50.97%

Eggs

$1.68 LKR 554

$2.10 ฿70.0

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 LKR 4,398

$19.59 ฿652

-32.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 LKR 1,116

$3.42 ฿114

-1.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,536

$11.38 ฿379

-59.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.75 LKR 2,231

$2.98 ฿99.3

126.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 240

$1.68 ฿56.1

-56.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 LKR 1,397

$2.21 ฿73.5

90.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 310

$2.16 ฿72.0

-56.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 332

$1.52 ฿50.8

-34.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$1.34 ฿44.55

-44.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 313

$1.13 ฿37.57

-15.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 161

$0.55 ฿18.19

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.48 LKR 3,465

$4.26 ฿142

146.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 LKR 4,517

$19.09 ฿635

-28.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 625

$1.78 ฿59.2

6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 955

$2.78 ฿92.6

3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$2.23 ฿74.2

-92.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$3.03 ฿101

-86.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 104

$1.02 ฿34.06

-69.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LKR 316

$3.89 ฿130

-75.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 LKR 429

$1.49 ฿49.63

-12.75%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$26.6K ฿884.9K

13.05%

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

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

$27.0K ฿899.8K

57.90%

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

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

$102 ฿3,411

-45.64%

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

$2.25 LKR 743

$11.33 ฿377

-80.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.04 LKR 2,988

$17.40 ฿579

-48.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 LKR 1,491

$7.69 ฿256

-41.35%

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

$38.39 LKR 12.7K

$561 ฿18.7K

-93.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,223 LKR 404.4K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-89.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.45 LKR 6,761

$63.0 ฿2,098

-67.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.04 LKR 5,635

$29.52 ฿983

-42.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 LKR 26.6K

$98.0 ฿3,263

-17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.01 LKR 13.9K

$88.5 ฿2,946

-52.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 LKR 180.9K

$738 ฿24.6K

-25.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 LKR 102.2K

$482 ฿16.1K

-35.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Bentota: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $547 in Bentota and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12.00 in Bentota vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $274 per month, with Bentota cheaper across the board.

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

Bentota vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,183 in Bentota and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $547 in Bentota versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $789 per month in Bentota versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Bentota versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bentota and Phuket 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 Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.