Cost of Living Comparison Between Katunayaka and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Katunayaka and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $863 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,201 per month in Katunayaka vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Katunayaka is about 59% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Katunayaka and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Katunayaka 61% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,244

$4.66 ฿150

-15.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.24 LKR 7,987

$46.44 ฿1,496

-45.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 LKR 2,644

$8.68 ฿280

-3.80%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 872

$2.95 ฿95.0

-6.78%

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

$0.67 LKR 214

$0.70 ฿22.52

-4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 129

$0.39 ฿12.70

5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 LKR 759

$2.53 ฿81.6

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LKR 1,044

$3.78 ฿122

-12.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 540

$2.22 ฿71.5

-22.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 166

$1.80 ฿57.8

-71.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 276

$2.19 ฿70.4

-60.27%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 706

$2.31 ฿74.5

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 LKR 4,536

$19.34 ฿623

-25.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,455

$3.77 ฿121

22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,496

$13.22 ฿426

-40.32%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,333

$3.33 ฿107

121.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 341

$1.65 ฿53.1

-34.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,814

$2.29 ฿73.7

150.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 394

$1.99 ฿64.1

-37.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 347

$1.53 ฿49.24

-28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 LKR 434

$1.51 ฿48.77

-9.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 375

$1.03 ฿33.12

14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 189

$0.51 ฿16.57

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,164

$4.41 ฿142

126.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 3,992

$19.41 ฿625

-35.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 655

$1.80 ฿58.0

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 901

$2.68 ฿86.4

6.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 122

$3.04 ฿97.9

-87.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$1.04 ฿33.37

-66.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$13.68 ฿441

-95.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 401

$1.30 ฿41.85

-2.31%

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

$27.1K LKR 8.6M

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-2.80%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.1M

$33.0K ฿1.1M

5.97%

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

$60.4 LKR 19.1K

$123 ฿3,962

-50.85%

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

$4.37 LKR 1,383

$13.82 ฿445

-68.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.06 LKR 4,768

$18.86 ฿608

-20.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,070

$8.87 ฿286

-61.89%

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

$36.84 LKR 11.7K

$696 ฿22.4K

-94.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 140.5K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-97.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.40 LKR 8,672

$59.3 ฿1,910

-53.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 LKR 6,163

$34.85 ฿1,123

-44.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 LKR 21.6K

$113 ฿3,646

-39.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.92 LKR 12.3K

$85.1 ฿2,740

-54.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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 Katunayaka: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Katunayaka versus $615 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Katunayaka versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $291 – making Katunayaka 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

Katunayaka vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 142%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $787 per month in Katunayaka and $1,904 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $524 in Katunayaka and $1,270 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $36.84 per month in Katunayaka and $696 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $524, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Katunayaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Katunayaka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Katunayaka. 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.