Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bentota Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bentota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $789 in Bentota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $904 in Bentota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,020 in Bentota.

Living in Phuket is roughly 56% more expensive than in Bentota, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Bentota 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.50 LKR 1,489

-2.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$12.05 LKR 3,985

167.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.63 LKR 2,524

17.04%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.41 LKR 796

20.33%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.69 LKR 229

27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.27 LKR 90.0

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.26 LKR 747

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.08 LKR 1,019

20.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.56 LKR 516

19.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.53 LKR 177

177.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.76 LKR 253

103.95%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.68 LKR 554

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$13.30 LKR 4,398

47.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.37 LKR 1,116

1.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$4.65 LKR 1,536

144.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$6.75 LKR 2,231

-55.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.73 LKR 240

130.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.22 LKR 1,397

-47.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$0.94 LKR 310

129.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.00 LKR 332

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.74 LKR 246

81.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.95 LKR 313

18.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.49 LKR 161

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.48 LKR 3,465

-59.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$13.66 LKR 4,517

39.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.89 LKR 625

-5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.89 LKR 955

-3.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.16 LKR 53.3

1293.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.42 LKR 138

621.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.31 LKR 104

229.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.96 LKR 316

305.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.30 LKR 429

14.62%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-11.54%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$42.7K LKR 14.1M

-36.67%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$55.7 LKR 18.4K

83.97%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$2.25 LKR 743

403.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$9.04 LKR 2,988

92.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.51 LKR 1,491

70.51%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$38.39 LKR 12.7K

1360.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,223 LKR 404.4K

840.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$20.45 LKR 6,761

208.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$17.04 LKR 5,635

73.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$80.4 LKR 26.6K

21.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$42.01 LKR 13.9K

110.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$547 LKR 180.9K

34.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$309 LKR 102.2K

56.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Bentota: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $547 in Bentota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Bentota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $218 per month, with Bentota 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 Bentota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bentota is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,183 in Bentota to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $547 in Bentota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $789 in Bentota – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Bentota versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bentota but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bentota the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bentota 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 Bentota 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 Bentota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.