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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $501 in Horana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $832 in Horana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,164 in Horana.

Living in Phuket is roughly 153% more expensive than in Horana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Horana 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.52 LKR 1,487

3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$25.53 LKR 8,389

26.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.43 LKR 2,441

16.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.44 LKR 801

18.85%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.74 LKR 243

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.25 LKR 81.5

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.19 LKR 720

13.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.11 LKR 1,021

19.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.63 LKR 534

15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.53 LKR 175

166.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.80 LKR 262

102.50%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.60 LKR 525

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.38 LKR 4,396

48.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.97 LKR 1,632

-29.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.40 LKR 2,430

53.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.69 LKR 2,197

-56.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.88 LKR 290

95.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$4.31 LKR 1,417

-47.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.30 LKR 426

63.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.05 LKR 344

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.80 LKR 262

77.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.88 LKR 290

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.49 LKR 161

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$10.57 LKR 3,474

-59.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.77 LKR 4,523

35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.92 LKR 629

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.81 LKR 922

5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.42 LKR 138

638.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.38 LKR 126

184.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$0.90 LKR 295

330.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.29 LKR 424

10.85%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

-10.33%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$41.8K LKR 13.7M

-35.51%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$54.3 LKR 17.8K

93.07%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$4.21 LKR 1,384

170.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$20.72 LKR 6,807

-15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.47 LKR 1,467

74.05%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$37.56 LKR 12.3K

1434.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,198 LKR 393.7K

866.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$20.15 LKR 6,622

215.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$16.71 LKR 5,491

74.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$42.10 LKR 13.8K

113.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Horana: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Horana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $238 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, Getting Around. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $751 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 $576 in Phuket versus $37.56 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 $26.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $501 in Horana versus $1,265 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 153% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.