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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $532 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $853 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,174 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 5% lower, Kataragama 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.98 LKR 1,335

12.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$24.92 LKR 8,361

82.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.13 LKR 2,728

7.75%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.72 LKR 912

9.19%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.72 LKR 243

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.41 LKR 136

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.27 LKR 762

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.44 LKR 1,155

9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.70 LKR 571

26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.56 LKR 186

225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.82 LKR 274

165.85%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.14 LKR 719

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.91 LKR 4,667

43.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.61 LKR 1,547

-21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.91 LKR 2,655

71.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$7.56 LKR 2,537

-57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.07 LKR 358

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$5.76 LKR 1,934

-59.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.24 LKR 417

66.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.12 LKR 374

38.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.36 LKR 457

7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.15 LKR 387

-14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.59 LKR 198

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$9.97 LKR 3,344

-56.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.70 LKR 4,261

46.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.03 LKR 682

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.86 LKR 961

-7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.39 LKR 130

712.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.33 LKR 110

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.57 LKR 190

2336.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.25 LKR 420

7.20%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

5.10%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-2.55%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

101.09%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.29 LKR 1,440

220.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.36 LKR 5,155

19.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.28 LKR 1,101

170.43%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$36.58 LKR 12.3K

1780.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$448 LKR 150.5K

3418.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$27.70 LKR 9,295

114.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.53 LKR 6,552

77.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

66.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$38.10 LKR 12.8K

119.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $798 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $532 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $36.58 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 $532, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $532 versus $1,264 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.