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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $524 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $863 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $1,201 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Phuket costs about 142% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Katunayaka 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$3.93 LKR 1,244

18.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$25.24 LKR 7,987

83.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$8.35 LKR 2,644

3.95%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$2.75 LKR 872

7.27%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.67 LKR 214

4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.41 LKR 129

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$2.40 LKR 759

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$3.30 LKR 1,044

14.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.71 LKR 540

29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.52 LKR 166

246.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$0.87 LKR 276

151.72%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.23 LKR 706

3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$14.33 LKR 4,536

34.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$4.60 LKR 1,455

-18.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$7.89 LKR 2,496

67.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$7.37 LKR 2,333

-54.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.08 LKR 341

52.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$5.73 LKR 1,814

-60.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.25 LKR 394

59.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$1.10 LKR 347

39.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.37 LKR 434

10.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$1.18 LKR 375

-12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.60 LKR 189

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$10.00 LKR 3,164

-55.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$12.61 LKR 3,992

53.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$2.07 LKR 655

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.85 LKR 901

-5.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$0.39 LKR 122

679.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.35 LKR 112

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$0.57 LKR 181

2300.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.27 LKR 401

2.36%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$27.1K LKR 8.6M

2.88%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.1M

-5.63%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$60.4 LKR 19.1K

103.46%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$4.37 LKR 1,383

216.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$15.06 LKR 4,768

25.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$3.38 LKR 1,070

162.43%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$36.84 LKR 11.7K

1790.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$444 LKR 140.5K

3518.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$27.40 LKR 8,672

116.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$19.47 LKR 6,163

78.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$68.4 LKR 21.6K

65.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$38.92 LKR 12.3K

118.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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 20, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $0 in Katunayaka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $25 in Katunayaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $256 – 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 142%, 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 $1,904 per month in Phuket and $787 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Phuket and $524 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $36.84 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 $524, than in Phuket at $1,270. 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.