Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Katunayaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Katunayaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $520 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $856 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,192 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Phuket costs about 143% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Katunayaka 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.07 LKR 1,359

12.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$24.94 LKR 8,320

86.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.14 LKR 2,714

4.05%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.77 LKR 923

9.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.70 LKR 233

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.38 LKR 125

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.37 LKR 791

5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.31 LKR 1,106

10.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.77 LKR 591

23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.56 LKR 187

239.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.82 LKR 273

168.29%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.15 LKR 717

3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$13.84 LKR 4,617

44.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.60 LKR 1,533

-20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.24 LKR 2,748

60.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.45 LKR 2,485

-56.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.10 LKR 369

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.85 LKR 1,952

-59.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.20 LKR 401

73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.10 LKR 368

44.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.37 LKR 457

8.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.20 LKR 402

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.59 LKR 197

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$9.89 LKR 3,301

-57.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.63 LKR 4,214

48.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.08 LKR 695

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.83 LKR 942

-2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.41 LKR 137

665.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.33 LKR 109

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$0.57 LKR 190

2315.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.20 LKR 399

11.67%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

3.66%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-1.68%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

103.71%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.21 LKR 1,405

221.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.30 LKR 5,103

22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.41 LKR 1,136

168.04%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$36.21 LKR 12.1K

1840.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$434 LKR 144.8K

3557.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$27.54 LKR 9,185

115.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.17 LKR 6,395

82.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$70.3 LKR 23.4K

64.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.82 LKR 12.9K

116.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Katunayaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $257 – making Katunayaka 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 Katunayaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 143%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $780 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $520 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $36.21 in Katunayaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Katunayaka, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Katunayaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Katunayaka – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Katunayaka. 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.