Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kataragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kataragama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $520 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $868 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,217 in Kataragama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 135% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Kataragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.92 LKR 1,305

15.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$25.61 LKR 8,528

82.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.55 LKR 2,848

-0.70%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.76 LKR 921

11.59%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.69 LKR 230

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.38 LKR 126

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.35 LKR 783

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.37 LKR 1,123

7.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.70 LKR 568

28.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.55 LKR 184

229.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.88 LKR 293

153.41%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.19 LKR 728

2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$14.22 LKR 4,736

37.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.56 LKR 1,520

-18.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$8.24 LKR 2,744

63.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$7.55 LKR 2,513

-55.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.06 LKR 352

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$5.91 LKR 1,967

-59.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.21 LKR 403

64.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.15 LKR 382

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.37 LKR 456

5.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.20 LKR 399

-15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.61 LKR 202

-21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$10.00 LKR 3,329

-57.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$12.95 LKR 4,313

47.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.99 LKR 663

-7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.87 LKR 956

-4.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.42 LKR 139

614.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.33 LKR 109

218.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$0.60 LKR 200

2216.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.21 LKR 404

6.61%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

3.00%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-4.38%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$60.1 LKR 20.0K

102.86%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.44 LKR 1,478

213.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$14.89 LKR 4,959

26.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$3.37 LKR 1,122

163.80%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$37.55 LKR 12.5K

1741.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$448 LKR 149.1K

3508.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$27.93 LKR 9,301

106.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$19.12 LKR 6,366

85.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$70.3 LKR 23.4K

61.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$38.17 LKR 12.7K

117.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $259 – making Kataragama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 135% more than Kataragama, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $780 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,223 in Phuket and $520 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $691 per month in Phuket and $37.55 in Kataragama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Kataragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $520 versus $1,223 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kataragama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.