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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $535 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $854 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $1,173 in Kandy.

Living in Phuket is roughly 135% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kandy 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$2.75 LKR 924

64.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,562

$11.88 LKR 3,992

290.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$6.36 LKR 2,138

36.01%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$2.63 LKR 885

17.49%

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

$0.68 ฿22.85

$0.60 LKR 201

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.41

$0.32 LKR 109

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

$2.13 LKR 716

13.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$3.37 LKR 1,134

13.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$1.41 LKR 473

54.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.2

$0.52 LKR 173

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

$0.86 LKR 289

153.49%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.3

$2.17 LKR 729

3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿671

$8.61 LKR 2,894

131.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$4.53 LKR 1,524

-19.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$7.97 LKR 2,680

70.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$4.48 LKR 1,507

-26.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$0.97 LKR 327

74.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.6

$3.77 LKR 1,266

-38.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$1.21 LKR 405

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.16 LKR 391

37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$1.25 LKR 420

19.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.11

$0.78 LKR 262

29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.56 LKR 188

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$9.28 LKR 3,119

-52.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

$11.47 LKR 3,854

62.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$2.10 LKR 705

-14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

$2.74 LKR 921

2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$0.18 LKR 59.6

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$15.28 LKR 5,136

-25.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$0.39 LKR 130

692.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$0.33 LKR 110

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

$0.43 LKR 146

3069.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.15

$1.25 LKR 421

4.80%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

53.61%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

53.36%

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

$123 ฿4,149

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

203.50%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$4.37 LKR 1,470

216.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$15.38 LKR 5,170

20.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

$14.79 LKR 4,970

308.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

$5.71 LKR 1,919

194.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$3.42 LKR 1,150

159.94%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

1783.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

$324 LKR 108.9K

4698.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

$27.66 LKR 9,298

108.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$14.38 LKR 4,833

141.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

104.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

181.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$136 LKR 45.9K

352.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

431.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$219 LKR 73.6K

834.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

$161 LKR 54.2K

833.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

$392 LKR 131.9K

809.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

$399 LKR 134.2K

528.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$261 LKR 87.6K

92.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-64.47%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $136 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $208 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 135% 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: $618 in Phuket versus $136 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $535 in Kandy – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 35% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $535 in Kandy versus $1,261 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 135% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.