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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $593 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $923 in Bandarawela, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,254 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Phuket costs about 111% more than Bandarawela, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Bandarawela are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Bandarawela 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.07 LKR 1,367

11.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$24.85 LKR 8,351

85.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.41 LKR 2,825

5.11%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.66 LKR 895

15.04%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.72 LKR 243

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.37 LKR 125

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.31 LKR 777

5.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.36 LKR 1,129

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.71 LKR 576

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.51 LKR 173

254.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.87 LKR 294

158.62%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.23 LKR 750

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$13.84 LKR 4,652

40.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.76 LKR 1,598

-23.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.91 LKR 2,659

64.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$7.36 LKR 2,472

-56.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.07 LKR 358

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$5.66 LKR 1,902

-57.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.26 LKR 422

61.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.10 LKR 369

39.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.37 LKR 460

9.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.20 LKR 403

-18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.60 LKR 201

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$9.99 LKR 3,356

-55.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.60 LKR 4,235

45.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.02 LKR 678

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.83 LKR 950

-5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.17 LKR 56.3

729.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$1.63 LKR 549

617.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.38 LKR 128

718.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.33 LKR 111

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$0.48 LKR 161

2839.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.02 LKR 343

28.43%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

3.49%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-3.13%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$61.2 LKR 20.6K

99.93%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$4.44 LKR 1,493

206.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$15.18 LKR 5,101

23.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$5.06 LKR 1,700

1095.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.30 LKR 1,109

174.85%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$36.37 LKR 12.2K

1842.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$445 LKR 149.5K

3453.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$27.67 LKR 9,298

111.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$19.65 LKR 6,604

79.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$70.4 LKR 23.7K

63.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$38.25 LKR 12.9K

118.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$100 LKR 33.7K

524.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$50.8 LKR 17.1K

776.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$133 LKR 44.7K

1432.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$66.1 LKR 22.2K

2156.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $100 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $255 – 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: $1,250 in Phuket, $593 in Bandarawela – roughly 111% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $889 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 $706 per month in Phuket and $36.37 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 $593, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $593 in Bandarawela to $1,250 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.