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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Kataragama vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $856 per month in Kataragama vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,194 per month in Kataragama vs $3,279 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 61% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,266

$4.63 ฿151

-14.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 LKR 8,043

$46.84 ฿1,532

-46.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.58 LKR 2,735

$8.84 ฿289

-2.94%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 841

$3.00 ฿98.0

-12.00%

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

$0.69 LKR 219

$0.74 ฿24.25

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 119

$0.37 ฿11.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 758

$2.44 ฿79.8

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 LKR 1,100

$3.61 ฿118

-4.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 539

$2.26 ฿73.9

-25.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 165

$1.84 ฿60.1

-71.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 264

$2.24 ฿73.4

-62.95%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 685

$2.32 ฿75.7

-7.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.04 LKR 4,477

$19.67 ฿643

-28.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,452

$3.65 ฿119

24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.06 LKR 2,571

$13.10 ฿428

-38.47%

Apples (1kg)

$7.64 LKR 2,436

$3.39 ฿111

125.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.64 ฿53.7

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,832

$2.41 ฿79.0

138.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 387

$2.03 ฿66.4

-40.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 353

$1.56 ฿50.9

-28.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 434

$1.50 ฿48.94

-9.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 380

$1.02 ฿33.50

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 178

$0.49 ฿16.00

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,266

$4.45 ฿145

130.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 4,023

$18.88 ฿617

-33.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 657

$1.78 ฿58.1

15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 907

$2.75 ฿90.1

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

$3.12 ฿102

-86.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 105

$1.00 ฿32.67

-67.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$14.09 ฿461

-95.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 387

$1.35 ฿44.19

-10.37%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-1.48%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

5.71%

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

$61.0 LKR 19.4K

$125 ฿4,087

-51.23%

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

$4.44 LKR 1,414

$13.57 ฿444

-67.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,738

$18.52 ฿606

-19.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,057

$9.19 ฿300

-63.98%

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

$36.74 LKR 11.7K

$698 ฿22.8K

-94.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 141.7K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-97.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.64 LKR 8,813

$57.8 ฿1,889

-52.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.74 LKR 6,295

$35.24 ฿1,152

-43.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 LKR 21.9K

$113 ฿3,699

-39.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.91 LKR 12.4K

$86.4 ฿2,825

-54.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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 Kataragama: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kataragama versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $292 – 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 138% 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 $776 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 $518 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 $36.74 per month in Kataragama and $698 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 $518, 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 $518 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.