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 $518 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $856 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,194 in Kataragama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 138% 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

$4.63 ฿151

$3.97 LKR 1,266

16.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$25.22 LKR 8,043

85.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.58 LKR 2,735

3.03%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.64 LKR 841

13.64%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.69 LKR 219

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.37 LKR 119

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.38 LKR 758

2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.45 LKR 1,100

4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.69 LKR 539

33.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.52 LKR 165

253.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.83 LKR 264

169.88%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.15 LKR 685

7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$14.04 LKR 4,477

40.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.55 LKR 1,452

-19.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.06 LKR 2,571

62.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$7.64 LKR 2,436

-55.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.06 LKR 339

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$5.74 LKR 1,832

-58.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.21 LKR 387

67.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.11 LKR 353

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.36 LKR 434

10.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.19 LKR 380

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.56 LKR 178

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$10.24 LKR 3,266

-56.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$12.61 LKR 4,023

49.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.06 LKR 657

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.84 LKR 907

-3.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.42 LKR 133

642.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.33 LKR 105

203.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$0.57 LKR 181

2371.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.21 LKR 387

11.57%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

1.50%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

-5.40%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$61.0 LKR 19.4K

105.05%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.44 LKR 1,414

205.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$14.86 LKR 4,738

24.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$3.31 LKR 1,057

177.64%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$36.74 LKR 11.7K

1800.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$444 LKR 141.7K

3408.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$27.64 LKR 8,813

108.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$19.74 LKR 6,295

78.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$68.6 LKR 21.9K

64.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$38.91 LKR 12.4K

122.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $255 – 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 138% 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 $776 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 $518 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $36.74 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 $518, 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 $518 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.