Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kandy Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kandy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $516 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $736 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $956 in Kandy.

Living in Phuket is roughly 145% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kandy 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.75 LKR 904

69.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$12.92 LKR 4,246

149.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.98 LKR 1,964

45.15%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.99 LKR 654

45.73%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.51 LKR 167

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.26 LKR 85.5

88.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.86 LKR 612

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.85 LKR 937

30.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.16 LKR 383

62.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.49 LKR 161

187.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.78 LKR 258

107.69%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.60 LKR 527

40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$5.24 LKR 1,721

278.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.30 LKR 1,412

-19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$6.89 LKR 2,265

65.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.08 LKR 1,012

-5.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.89 LKR 292

93.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.72 LKR 564

31.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.27 LKR 418

67.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.99 LKR 326

48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.81 LKR 266

75.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.48 LKR 158

129.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.45 LKR 147

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$7.75 LKR 2,548

-44.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.53 LKR 3,788

61.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.99 LKR 654

-9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.04 LKR 669

45.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.16 LKR 53.3

1306.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$4.68 LKR 1,538

401.92%

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

$0.47 LKR 156

723.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.12 LKR 368

27.68%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$14.1K LKR 4.6M

96.39%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$37.5K LKR 12.3M

-28.11%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$55.1 LKR 18.1K

90.30%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$4.11 LKR 1,351

177.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$12.67 LKR 4,164

38.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$11.02 LKR 3,620

393.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$6.68 LKR 2,193

71.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$2.89 LKR 950

169.20%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$21.41 LKR 7,036

2592.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$305 LKR 100.3K

3695.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$20.30 LKR 6,671

213.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$10.30 LKR 3,386

182.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$68.8 LKR 22.6K

39.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$26.80 LKR 8,805

235.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$174 LKR 57.0K

322.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$116 LKR 38.1K

331.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$177 LKR 58.2K

1100.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$97.0 LKR 31.9K

1191.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$414 LKR 135.9K

754.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$406 LKR 133.5K

545.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$263 LKR 86.5K

92.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-53.58%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kandy: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $174 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 93% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $167 per month, with Kandy 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 93% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $174 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $516 in Kandy – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 402% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $516 in Kandy versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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 Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.