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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Phuket costs about 159% 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

$4.70 ฿153

$3.91 LKR 1,296

20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$25.39 LKR 8,419

78.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.41 LKR 2,788

0.24%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.63 LKR 871

11.41%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.69 LKR 229

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.38 LKR 125

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.38 LKR 791

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.39 LKR 1,125

9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.72 LKR 572

29.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.56 LKR 186

226.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.85 LKR 283

155.29%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.22 LKR 736

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$13.83 LKR 4,587

42.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.69 LKR 1,555

-22.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.02 LKR 2,659

68.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$7.26 LKR 2,406

-54.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.11 LKR 368

45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$5.91 LKR 1,958

-59.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.24 LKR 411

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.10 LKR 364

39.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.42 LKR 471

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.15 LKR 382

-13.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.60 LKR 200

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$10.18 LKR 3,377

-56.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$12.77 LKR 4,236

51.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.07 LKR 685

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.87 LKR 953

-5.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.39 LKR 128

674.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.35 LKR 117

182.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$0.56 LKR 186

2417.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.20 LKR 396

13.33%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

4.19%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

-6.68%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$26.43 LKR 8,764

360.46%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$3.25 LKR 1,079

317.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$14.92 LKR 4,948

22.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.29 LKR 1,090

164.13%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

1798.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$439 LKR 145.7K

3470.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$28.02 LKR 9,292

112.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$19.62 LKR 6,504

77.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

64.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

113.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $257 – 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: $1,265 in Phuket, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 159% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $734 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 $45.00 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 14% 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 $489, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $489 in Anuradhapura to $1,265 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.