Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Horana Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Horana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $510 in Horana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $843 in Horana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,176 in Horana.

Living in Phuket is roughly 147% more expensive than in Horana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Horana 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿152

$3.96 LKR 1,331

14.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,558

$24.67 LKR 8,293

87.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$8.17 LKR 2,748

5.88%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$2.63 LKR 884

17.49%

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

$0.68 ฿22.79

$0.72 LKR 243

-5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.38

$0.41 LKR 137

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.2

$2.39 LKR 803

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$3.26 LKR 1,095

16.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.76 LKR 592

23.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.1

$0.56 LKR 190

225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$0.87 LKR 291

150.57%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.1

$2.16 LKR 726

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿670

$14.16 LKR 4,762

40.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$4.55 LKR 1,531

-20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿456

$7.87 LKR 2,645

72.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$7.26 LKR 2,440

-54.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.10 LKR 371

53.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.4

$5.92 LKR 1,990

-60.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.21 LKR 405

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$1.14 LKR 384

40.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.42 LKR 479

4.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.02

$1.20 LKR 404

-15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.02

$0.59 LKR 199

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$9.98 LKR 3,356

-55.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿626

$12.39 LKR 4,165

50.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.0

$2.04 LKR 685

-12.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.0

$2.94 LKR 988

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$0.38 LKR 129

713.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.03

$0.35 LKR 118

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿458

$0.62 LKR 208

2098.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.03

$1.25 LKR 421

4.80%

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

$27.3K ฿916.6K

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

2.81%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.4K LKR 11.6M

-3.55%

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

$123 ฿4,138

$61.2 LKR 20.6K

101.14%

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

$13.81 ฿464

$1.72 LKR 577

702.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿622

$5.12 LKR 1,721

261.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$3.44 LKR 1,156

158.43%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$36.68 LKR 12.3K

1771.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿522.5K

$440 LKR 147.9K

3434.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,936

$27.75 LKR 9,329

107.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,165

$19.60 LKR 6,588

76.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,861

$70.8 LKR 23.8K

62.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,853

$38.27 LKR 12.9K

121.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

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 20, 2026

Last update for Horana: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Horana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $256 per month, with Horana 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 Horana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Horana is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $766 in Horana 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.

Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $36.68 in Horana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Horana – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 in Horana versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Horana but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Horana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Horana 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 Horana 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 Horana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.