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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $532 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $854 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,177 in Badulla.

Living in Phuket is roughly 137% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Badulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.99 LKR 1,330

14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$25.26 LKR 8,427

84.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.42 LKR 2,810

0.59%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.73 LKR 909

10.99%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.73 LKR 245

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.38 LKR 127

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.33 LKR 777

6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.45 LKR 1,149

6.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.68 LKR 562

29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.51 LKR 172

272.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.73 LKR 243

201.37%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.13 LKR 710

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$14.30 LKR 4,769

39.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.01 LKR 1,337

-8.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.88 LKR 2,627

68.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.31 LKR 2,437

-55.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.12 LKR 373

51.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.88 LKR 1,960

-59.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.24 LKR 415

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.11 LKR 370

43.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.42 LKR 472

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.16 LKR 386

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.56 LKR 187

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$10.18 LKR 3,397

-58.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.85 LKR 4,288

46.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.99 LKR 664

-11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.83 LKR 942

-2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.39 LKR 130

705.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.35 LKR 118

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$0.60 LKR 202

2195.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.26 LKR 421

6.35%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

5.36%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-3.74%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

105.20%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.23 LKR 1,411

219.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$14.91 LKR 4,974

25.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.40 LKR 1,136

168.82%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

1844.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$433 LKR 144.3K

3568.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$27.33 LKR 9,116

117.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.72 LKR 6,579

77.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

66.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

117.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

-19.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$734 LKR 244.9K

257.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$218 LKR 72.8K

132.33%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 132% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $252 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 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 132% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $36.14 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Badulla versus $1,261 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 137% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.