Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bandarawela Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bandarawela

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $575 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $929 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,283 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Phuket costs about 120% more than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Bandarawela are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Bandarawela 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.96 LKR 1,315

18.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$25.10 LKR 8,323

80.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.29 LKR 2,748

1.69%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.62 LKR 869

11.83%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.74 LKR 246

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.40 LKR 134

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.28 LKR 758

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.29 LKR 1,091

13.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.76 LKR 584

26.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.56 LKR 187

226.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.88 LKR 292

146.59%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.15 LKR 712

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$13.85 LKR 4,591

42.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.70 LKR 1,558

-22.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.11 LKR 2,689

66.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$7.53 LKR 2,497

-56.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.08 LKR 357

49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$5.94 LKR 1,968

-59.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.22 LKR 404

70.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.15 LKR 380

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.40 LKR 465

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.19 LKR 395

-16.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.60 LKR 200

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$10.13 LKR 3,360

-56.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$12.70 LKR 4,210

52.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.07 LKR 688

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.86 LKR 948

-5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.16 LKR 54.0

756.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$1.66 LKR 550

586.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.41 LKR 136

636.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.35 LKR 117

182.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$0.48 LKR 158

2837.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.08 LKR 357

25.93%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

6.70%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-6.55%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$60.9 LKR 20.2K

99.84%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$4.41 LKR 1,464

207.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$15.27 LKR 5,063

19.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$4.96 LKR 1,644

1114.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.28 LKR 1,088

164.94%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$36.34 LKR 12.0K

1808.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$446 LKR 147.9K

3416.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$27.15 LKR 9,001

119.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$19.33 LKR 6,410

79.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$69.1 LKR 22.9K

65.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$39.27 LKR 13.0K

112.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$99.0 LKR 32.8K

519.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$51.2 LKR 17.0K

753.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$135 LKR 44.9K

1447.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$66.3 LKR 22.0K

2176.00%

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 Bandarawela: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $99.0 in Bandarawela. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $258 – making Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $575 in Bandarawela – roughly 120% 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 $862 in Bandarawela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandarawela, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $36.34 in Bandarawela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 Bandarawela, where all-in costs run around $575, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Bandarawela 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 $575 in Bandarawela 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 Bandarawela. 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.