😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $499 in Beruwala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $821 in Beruwala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,143 in Beruwala.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 152% more expensive than in Beruwala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Beruwala64% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.43฿145
$4.20LKR 1,387
5.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.07฿1,151
$25.75LKR 8,494
36.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.96฿294
$7.65LKR 2,525
17.12%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.4
$2.39LKR 788
25.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77฿25.33
$0.69LKR 228
11.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47฿15.44
$0.25LKR 81.8
88.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.40฿78.6
$2.17LKR 716
10.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿123
$3.04LKR 1,004
23.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.82฿59.8
$1.59LKR 526
14.47%
White Bread(500g)
$1.42฿46.65
$0.47LKR 154
202.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿50.8
$0.75LKR 247
106.67%
Eggs
$2.13฿69.9
$1.53LKR 504
39.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.76฿648
$12.74LKR 4,203
55.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.48฿114
$4.87LKR 1,607
-28.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.09฿364
$6.89LKR 2,272
60.96%
Apples(1kg)
$2.91฿95.5
$6.78LKR 2,236
-57.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.66฿54.6
$0.84LKR 277
97.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27฿74.5
$4.56LKR 1,504
-50.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.10฿68.8
$1.23LKR 404
70.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.47฿48.24
$0.94LKR 309
56.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.41฿46.29
$0.73LKR 241
93.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.09฿35.78
$0.93LKR 308
17.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54฿17.58
$0.45LKR 148
20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.48฿147
$10.11LKR 3,334
-55.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.72฿614
$13.21LKR 4,358
41.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿60.4
$1.86LKR 614
-1.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95฿96.7
$2.55LKR 842
15.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.26฿74.1
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.07฿757
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04฿99.9
$0.41LKR 135
641.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.09฿35.82
$0.34LKR 113
220.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.82฿125
$0.92LKR 303
315.22%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿48.79
$1.24LKR 408
20.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K฿900.3K
$29.6KLKR 9.8M
-7.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K฿902.7K
$39.1KLKR 12.9M
-29.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,340
$51.3LKR 16.9K
98.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28฿370
$4.15LKR 1,368
171.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.75฿582
$20.72LKR 6,834
-14.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.2฿1,777
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.96฿360
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.85฿258
$4.26LKR 1,404
84.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$577฿18.9K
$37.25LKR 12.3K
1449.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K฿381.6K
$1,194LKR 393.9K
874.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.4฿2,144
$19.84LKR 6,545
229.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.89฿948
$16.66LKR 5,496
73.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.1฿3,250
$81.2LKR 26.8K
22.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.3฿2,961
$41.37LKR 13.6K
118.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$756฿24.8K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$487฿16.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085฿68.4K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,207฿39.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,591฿117.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,610฿85.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Beruwala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$502฿16.5K
$151LKR 49.7K
233.52%
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: August 18, 2026
Last update for Beruwala: August 16, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Phuket pays 234% 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Beruwala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $230 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, Getting Around. The 152% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Beruwala?
Average pay runs 234% higher in Phuket, 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 in Beruwala?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Beruwala?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $499 in Beruwala – a 152% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Beruwala?
At $499 in Beruwala versus $1,261 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 152% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.