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 $499 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $803 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,106 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Phuket costs about 154% more than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Bandarawela are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Bandarawela 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.34 LKR 439

247.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$26.43 LKR 8,685

21.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.76 LKR 2,549

11.86%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.48 LKR 488

95.95%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.64 LKR 210

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.27 LKR 88.8

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.19 LKR 721

13.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.50 LKR 822

49.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.65 LKR 541

14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.36 LKR 117

291.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.61 LKR 201

165.57%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.08 LKR 355

107.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.06 LKR 4,292

51.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$3.60 LKR 1,182

-3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.30 LKR 2,399

55.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.74 LKR 2,215

-56.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.59 LKR 194

191.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$4.38 LKR 1,440

-48.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.23 LKR 405

73.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.89 LKR 293

65.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.57 LKR 187

149.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.88 LKR 290

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.48 LKR 159

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.65 LKR 3,172

-55.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.56 LKR 4,455

37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.95 LKR 642

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.89 LKR 950

2.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.14 LKR 46.58

1507.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$1.50 LKR 492

1466.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.39 LKR 127

694.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.29 LKR 94.8

272.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$0.48 LKR 156

706.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.91 LKR 301

57.14%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

-8.67%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-35.75%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$54.6 LKR 17.9K

91.94%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$3.39 LKR 1,114

235.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$6.03 LKR 1,982

190.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$6.20 LKR 2,036

776.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$4.58 LKR 1,506

149.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$2.50 LKR 822

211.20%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$37.96 LKR 12.5K

1418.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,236 LKR 406.3K

836.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$19.90 LKR 6,538

219.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$16.75 LKR 5,505

73.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$80.5 LKR 26.5K

19.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$43.25 LKR 14.2K

108.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$89.7 LKR 29.5K

717.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$45.92 LKR 15.1K

990.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$124 LKR 40.9K

1609.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$59.8 LKR 19.6K

1994.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $89.7 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $223 – 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, $499 in Bandarawela – roughly 154% 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 $748 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 $576 per month in Phuket and $37.96 in Bandarawela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $499, 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 $499 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.