Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolonnawa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolonnawa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $506 per month in Kolonnawa vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $836 per month in Kolonnawa vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,166 per month in Kolonnawa vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Kolonnawa is about 60% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kolonnawa and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kolonnawa 62% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 LKR 1,278

$4.66 ฿150

-13.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 LKR 7,882

$46.44 ฿1,496

-46.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 LKR 2,699

$8.68 ฿280

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$2.66 LKR 841

$2.95 ฿95.0

-9.83%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.70 ฿22.52

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.39 ฿12.70

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 728

$2.53 ฿81.6

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,054

$3.78 ฿122

-11.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 539

$2.22 ฿71.5

-23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 166

$1.80 ฿57.8

-70.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.70 LKR 222

$2.19 ฿70.4

-68.04%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 676

$2.31 ฿74.5

-7.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 LKR 2,700

$19.34 ฿623

-55.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,519

$3.77 ฿121

27.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 LKR 2,611

$13.22 ฿426

-37.59%

Apples (1kg)

$7.38 LKR 2,335

$3.33 ฿107

121.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 350

$1.65 ฿53.1

-32.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,813

$2.29 ฿73.7

150.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 400

$1.99 ฿64.1

-36.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 LKR 364

$1.53 ฿49.24

-24.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 437

$1.51 ฿48.77

-8.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 378

$1.03 ฿33.12

15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 164

$0.51 ฿16.57

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,241

$4.41 ฿142

132.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.98 LKR 3,475

$19.41 ฿625

-43.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 645

$1.80 ฿58.0

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 LKR 744

$2.68 ฿86.4

-12.31%

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 123

$3.04 ฿97.9

-87.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$1.04 ฿33.37

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 182

$13.68 ฿441

-95.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 380

$1.30 ฿41.85

-7.69%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-5.17%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

$33.0K ฿1.1M

6.72%

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

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

$123 ฿3,962

-50.64%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,386

$13.82 ฿445

-68.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 LKR 4,710

$18.86 ฿608

-21.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.09 LKR 3,193

$61.2 ฿1,970

-83.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.65 LKR 522

$16.81 ฿541

-90.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,067

$8.87 ฿286

-62.01%

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

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

$696 ฿22.4K

-94.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 137.7K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-97.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 8,580

$59.3 ฿1,910

-54.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.14 LKR 6,057

$34.85 ฿1,123

-45.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

$113 ฿3,646

-39.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

$85.1 ฿2,740

-54.69%

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 Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $291 – making Kolonnawa 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

Kolonnawa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 151% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $759 per month in Kolonnawa 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 $506 in Kolonnawa and $1,270 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.43 per month in Kolonnawa and $696 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 Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $506, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $506 versus $1,270 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 Kolonnawa. 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.