😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $521 in Beruwala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $865 in Beruwala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,208 in Beruwala.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 135% more expensive than Beruwala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Beruwala61% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$4.14LKR 1,378
8.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$24.85LKR 8,275
87.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$8.27LKR 2,753
2.66%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$2.77LKR 921
11.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$0.70LKR 232
-2.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$0.37LKR 125
-2.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$2.30LKR 765
5.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$3.26LKR 1,085
11.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$1.73LKR 575
26.59%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$0.57LKR 189
217.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$0.88LKR 293
153.41%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$2.22LKR 739
0.90%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$14.23LKR 4,738
37.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$4.74LKR 1,580
-21.52%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$8.18LKR 2,724
64.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$7.63LKR 2,539
-55.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$1.11LKR 371
45.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$5.74LKR 1,911
-58.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$1.24LKR 415
60.48%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$1.16LKR 387
31.90%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$1.37LKR 458
5.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$1.19LKR 396
-15.13%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$0.56LKR 186
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$10.20LKR 3,398
-58.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$13.01LKR 4,332
46.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$2.10LKR 700
-12.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$2.97LKR 989
-7.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$0.38LKR 127
689.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$0.33LKR 109
218.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$0.57LKR 189
2338.60%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$1.26LKR 421
2.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$26.8KLKR 8.9M
4.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$34.6KLKR 11.5M
-3.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$59.0LKR 19.6K
106.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$4.35LKR 1,447
220.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$15.38LKR 5,123
22.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$3.34LKR 1,111
166.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$37.30LKR 12.4K
1753.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$436LKR 145.2K
3604.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$27.53LKR 9,168
109.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$19.52LKR 6,501
81.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$69.4LKR 23.1K
63.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$38.76LKR 12.9K
114.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
$148LKR 49.3K
241.27%
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 13, 2026
Last update for Beruwala: June 16, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Phuket pays 241% 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 Beruwala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $260 per month, with Beruwala 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 Beruwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beruwala cheaper than Phuket?
Beruwala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Beruwala?
Phuket pays 241% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Beruwala?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket vs Beruwala?
All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $521 in Beruwala – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Beruwala?
At $521 in Beruwala versus $1,223 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beruwala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Beruwala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Beruwala more family-friendly?
For families, Beruwala 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Beruwala?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Beruwala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Beruwala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.