Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Badulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Badulla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $530 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $845 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,159 in Badulla.

Living in Phuket is roughly 138% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Badulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.12 LKR 1,384

8.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$24.75 LKR 8,304

84.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.61 LKR 2,888

1.74%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.74 LKR 919

8.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.69 LKR 232

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.41 LKR 137

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.38 LKR 799

6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.31 LKR 1,112

13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.62 LKR 542

32.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.53 LKR 177

243.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.68 LKR 228

220.59%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.19 LKR 734

2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.97 LKR 4,687

43.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.98 LKR 1,337

-8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.24 LKR 2,764

64.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$7.30 LKR 2,449

-55.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.06 LKR 355

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$5.91 LKR 1,984

-60.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.24 LKR 417

66.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.16 LKR 390

33.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.37 LKR 459

6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.16 LKR 388

-15.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.56 LKR 190

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$9.91 LKR 3,324

-56.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.40 LKR 4,159

49.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.11 LKR 707

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.93 LKR 983

-9.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.42 LKR 140

654.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.36 LKR 119

186.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.62 LKR 207

2140.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.21 LKR 407

10.74%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

5.45%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.9K LKR 11.7M

-4.30%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

103.02%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.35 LKR 1,460

216.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.30 LKR 5,132

19.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.41 LKR 1,145

160.12%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$37.15 LKR 12.5K

1751.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$443 LKR 148.6K

3463.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$27.18 LKR 9,121

118.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.29 LKR 6,471

79.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$68.5 LKR 23.0K

68.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$38.49 LKR 12.9K

117.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$4,451 LKR 1.5M

-22.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$755 LKR 253.2K

235.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$222 LKR 74.6K

122.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Badulla: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $251 per month, with Badulla cheaper across the board.

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 Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 138% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 122% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $37.15 in Badulla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Badulla versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Badulla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.