Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Anuradhapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Anuradhapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $498 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $830 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,162 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Phuket costs about 152% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Anuradhapura 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$4.45 LKR 1,460

2.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$24.30 LKR 7,973

34.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.71 LKR 2,530

15.43%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.41 LKR 790

16.18%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.75 LKR 244

17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.25 LKR 81.1

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.28 LKR 748

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.97 LKR 975

24.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.68 LKR 551

6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.57 LKR 188

152.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$0.80 LKR 263

97.50%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.63 LKR 535

30.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$13.09 LKR 4,295

52.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.98 LKR 1,634

-31.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$7.29 LKR 2,391

55.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$6.93 LKR 2,272

-57.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.88 LKR 287

95.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$4.26 LKR 1,396

-45.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.25 LKR 410

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.01 LKR 331

45.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.80 LKR 263

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.90 LKR 294

22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.45 LKR 147

26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$10.54 LKR 3,458

-59.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$13.82 LKR 4,534

33.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.92 LKR 629

-2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.77 LKR 909

5.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.42 LKR 137

621.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.35 LKR 114

205.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$0.89 LKR 293

341.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.34 LKR 439

11.19%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-10.95%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-35.68%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$53.2 LKR 17.4K

93.41%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$4.28 LKR 1,405

156.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$20.72 LKR 6,796

-15.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.49 LKR 1,473

66.59%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$38.75 LKR 12.7K

1337.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$1,201 LKR 394.1K

886.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$20.20 LKR 6,627

217.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$16.92 LKR 5,553

71.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

20.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$43.16 LKR 14.2K

109.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $238 – making Anuradhapura 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

Phuket vs Anuradhapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,253 in Phuket, $498 in Anuradhapura – roughly 152% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $747 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket and $24.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $498, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $498 in Anuradhapura to $1,253 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Anuradhapura. 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.