Cost of Living Comparison Between Kataragama and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kataragama and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $514 per month in Kataragama vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $840 per month in Kataragama vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Kataragama vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Kataragama is about 58% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kataragama and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kataragama 62% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.33 LKR 1,431

$4.41 ฿147

-1.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.82 LKR 8,537

$32.26 ฿1,074

-19.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 LKR 2,475

$8.93 ฿297

-16.24%

Cappuccino

$2.54 LKR 841

$2.90 ฿96.4

-12.41%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.88 ฿29.30

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.8

$0.48 ฿16.01

-43.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 724

$2.35 ฿78.3

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 1,001

$3.72 ฿124

-18.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 519

$1.87 ฿62.1

-16.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.47 ฿48.81

-61.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$1.55 ฿51.7

-49.03%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 530

$2.10 ฿70.0

-23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 LKR 4,435

$19.59 ฿652

-31.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,694

$3.42 ฿114

49.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 LKR 2,395

$11.38 ฿379

-36.38%

Apples (1kg)

$6.97 LKR 2,306

$2.98 ฿99.3

133.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 297

$1.68 ฿56.1

-46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 LKR 1,388

$2.21 ฿73.5

90.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 410

$2.16 ฿72.0

-42.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 337

$1.52 ฿50.8

-32.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 253

$1.34 ฿44.55

-43.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 LKR 297

$1.13 ฿37.57

-20.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 161

$0.55 ฿18.19

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.45 LKR 3,455

$4.26 ฿142

145.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.91 LKR 4,598

$19.09 ฿635

-27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 LKR 628

$1.78 ฿59.2

6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 LKR 925

$2.78 ฿92.6

0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

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)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.02 ฿34.06

-62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 306

$3.89 ฿130

-76.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 438

$1.49 ฿49.63

-11.41%

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

$30.8K LKR 10.2M

$26.6K ฿884.9K

16.05%

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

$42.4K LKR 14.0M

$27.0K ฿899.8K

56.83%

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

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

$102 ฿3,411

-45.07%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,394

$11.33 ฿377

-62.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.22 LKR 7,016

$17.40 ฿579

21.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$4.41 LKR 1,457

$7.69 ฿256

-42.65%

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

$38.81 LKR 12.8K

$561 ฿18.7K

-93.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,230 LKR 406.8K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-89.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.01 LKR 6,616

$63.0 ฿2,098

-68.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,447

$29.52 ฿983

-44.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 LKR 26.1K

$98.0 ฿3,263

-19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.14 LKR 14.3K

$88.5 ฿2,946

-51.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

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 Kataragama: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Kataragama versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $274 – making Kataragama 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

Kataragama vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 140% more than Kataragama, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $771 per month in Kataragama and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $514 in Kataragama and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $38.81 per month in Kataragama and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $514, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Kataragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $514 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kataragama. 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.