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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,167 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 6% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.03 LKR 1,355

12.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$24.97 LKR 8,391

84.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.21 LKR 2,761

7.67%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.73 LKR 919

12.09%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.72 LKR 244

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.40 LKR 135

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.28 LKR 765

6.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.38 LKR 1,134

11.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.71 LKR 573

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.55 LKR 185

229.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.80 LKR 270

181.25%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.23 LKR 750

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.26 LKR 4,792

36.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.72 LKR 1,587

-22.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.28 LKR 2,782

57.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$7.61 LKR 2,556

-57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.08 LKR 363

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$5.69 LKR 1,912

-58.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.20 LKR 402

69.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.11 LKR 374

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.40 LKR 472

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.16 LKR 389

-15.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.56 LKR 188

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$9.92 LKR 3,333

-55.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.49 LKR 4,197

46.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.09 LKR 703

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.87 LKR 963

-6.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.39 LKR 130

697.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.36 LKR 120

188.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$0.61 LKR 206

2213.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.21 LKR 407

8.26%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

2.54%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

-5.17%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$27.06 LKR 9,094

352.48%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$3.41 LKR 1,147

298.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$15.08 LKR 5,068

24.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.41 LKR 1,146

165.98%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

1790.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$447 LKR 150.3K

3433.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$27.71 LKR 9,312

111.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$19.27 LKR 6,476

83.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

63.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

115.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.45

-67.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $258 – 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: $1,250 in Phuket, $496 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $744 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $496, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $496 in Anuradhapura to $1,250 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.