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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $514 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $840 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,167 in Kataragama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 140% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Kataragama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.33 LKR 1,431

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$25.82 LKR 8,537

24.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.48 LKR 2,475

19.39%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.54 LKR 841

14.17%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.73 LKR 241

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.27 LKR 89.8

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.19 LKR 724

7.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.03 LKR 1,001

22.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.57 LKR 519

19.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.57 LKR 188

157.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.79 LKR 261

96.20%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.60 LKR 530

31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$13.41 LKR 4,435

46.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-33.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.24 LKR 2,395

57.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$6.97 LKR 2,306

-57.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.90 LKR 297

86.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.20 LKR 1,388

-47.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.24 LKR 410

74.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.02 LKR 337

49.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.76 LKR 253

76.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.90 LKR 297

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.49 LKR 161

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.45 LKR 3,455

-59.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$13.91 LKR 4,598

37.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.90 LKR 628

-6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.80 LKR 925

-0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.42 LKR 138

621.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.38 LKR 127

168.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.92 LKR 306

322.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.32 LKR 438

12.88%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$30.8K LKR 10.2M

-13.83%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$42.4K LKR 14.0M

-36.24%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

82.04%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.22 LKR 1,394

168.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$21.22 LKR 7,016

-18.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.41 LKR 1,457

74.38%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$38.81 LKR 12.8K

1344.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,230 LKR 406.8K

835.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$20.01 LKR 6,616

214.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$16.47 LKR 5,447

79.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$79.0 LKR 26.1K

24.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$43.14 LKR 14.3K

105.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $239 – 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 140% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $771 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $514 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $38.81 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 $514, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $514 versus $1,232 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.