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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $513 per month in Katunayaka vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,156 per month in Katunayaka vs $2,913 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 63% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 LKR 1,448

$4.66 ฿154

-5.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.43 LKR 8,685

$32.22 ฿1,065

-17.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 LKR 2,541

$8.68 ฿287

-10.94%

Cappuccino

$2.55 LKR 838

$2.90 ฿95.8

-12.07%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$0.84 ฿27.89

-11.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.3

$0.49 ฿16.16

-48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 739

$2.48 ฿82.0

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 LKR 997

$3.73 ฿123

-18.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.89 ฿62.3

-16.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 173

$1.41 ฿46.54

-62.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 252

$1.62 ฿53.6

-52.47%

Eggs

$1.61 LKR 530

$2.24 ฿74.1

-28.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 LKR 4,269

$19.84 ฿656

-34.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,692

$3.48 ฿115

47.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 LKR 2,352

$11.37 ฿376

-37.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 LKR 2,171

$2.90 ฿95.8

127.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 289

$1.72 ฿57.0

-48.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 LKR 1,423

$2.27 ฿75.1

90.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 402

$2.13 ฿70.4

-42.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$1.47 ฿48.72

-31.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.42 ฿46.92

-46.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 289

$1.10 ฿36.25

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.60 ฿19.76

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 LKR 3,436

$4.31 ฿142

142.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 LKR 4,534

$18.60 ฿615

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 LKR 650

$1.80 ฿59.5

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 LKR 912

$2.97 ฿98.0

-6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$3.10 ฿102

-87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$1.08 ฿35.56

-67.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

$3.87 ฿128

-77.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.43 ฿47.16

-6.29%

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

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

7.61%

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

$42.3K LKR 13.9M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

56.84%

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

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

$105 ฿3,462

-47.66%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,404

$11.39 ฿376

-62.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.54 LKR 6,748

$17.54 ฿580

17.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$4.36 LKR 1,434

$7.78 ฿257

-43.96%

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

$37.49 LKR 12.3K

$576 ฿19.0K

-93.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-89.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.33 LKR 6,680

$63.6 ฿2,103

-68.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.91 LKR 5,557

$29.10 ฿961

-41.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 LKR 25.8K

$96.2 ฿3,179

-18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.30 LKR 13.9K

$90.0 ฿2,974

-53.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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 Katunayaka: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Katunayaka versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $275 – 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 147%, 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 $769 per month in Katunayaka and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $513 in Katunayaka and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.49 per month in Katunayaka and $576 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 $513, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.