😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $529 in Beruwala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $853 in Beruwala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,177 in Beruwala.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 133% more expensive than Beruwala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Beruwala60% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$3.98LKR 1,270
16.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$25.01LKR 7,975
87.29%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$8.52LKR 2,718
3.76%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.71LKR 865
10.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$0.68LKR 216
8.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.38LKR 120
-2.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.40LKR 767
1.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.33LKR 1,061
8.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.76LKR 561
28.41%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$0.52LKR 167
253.85%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$0.81LKR 259
176.54%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.21LKR 705
4.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$14.12LKR 4,504
39.31%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$4.56LKR 1,454
-19.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$7.96LKR 2,540
64.57%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$7.66LKR 2,444
-55.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.06LKR 340
54.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$5.75LKR 1,834
-58.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.26LKR 401
61.11%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.12LKR 356
39.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.35LKR 430
11.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.14LKR 362
-10.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.57LKR 181
-14.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$9.98LKR 3,181
-55.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$12.49LKR 3,984
51.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.11LKR 673
-15.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.93LKR 934
-6.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.39LKR 124
700.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.33LKR 105
203.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$0.58LKR 184
2329.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.20LKR 382
12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$26.5KLKR 8.4M
2.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$34.1KLKR 10.9M
-3.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$60.2LKR 19.2K
107.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$4.22LKR 1,346
221.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$15.17LKR 4,839
22.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$3.33LKR 1,062
175.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$36.65LKR 11.7K
1805.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$447LKR 142.5K
3389.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$27.45LKR 8,755
110.42%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$19.12LKR 6,099
84.31%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$70.0LKR 22.3K
61.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$39.47LKR 12.6K
118.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$155LKR 49.5K
237.25%
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: April 27, 2026
Last update for Beruwala: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Phuket pays 237% 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 $257 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 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Beruwala?
Phuket pays 237% 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 14% 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 $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $529 in Beruwala – a 133% 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 $529 in Beruwala versus $1,232 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 133% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.