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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $534 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $861 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,187 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Phuket costs about 137% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Katunayaka 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.12 LKR 1,381

8.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$25.47 LKR 8,534

78.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.39 LKR 2,811

4.41%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$2.65 LKR 889

12.08%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.68 LKR 229

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.37 LKR 125

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$2.29 LKR 767

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.32 LKR 1,113

12.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.70 LKR 571

26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$0.52 LKR 173

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$0.80 LKR 269

172.50%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.14 LKR 717

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$14.03 LKR 4,701

42.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.74 LKR 1,587

-23.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$7.87 LKR 2,636

72.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$7.47 LKR 2,502

-56.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.10 LKR 369

49.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$5.74 LKR 1,923

-59.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.25 LKR 418

65.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.15 LKR 385

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.42 LKR 475

2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$1.19 LKR 398

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.60 LKR 200

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$9.97 LKR 3,342

-56.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$12.74 LKR 4,269

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$2.03 LKR 681

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.92 LKR 979

-9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.39 LKR 130

712.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.36 LKR 119

186.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$0.57 LKR 191

2336.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.26 LKR 423

6.35%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

2.68%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-4.69%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$60.1 LKR 20.1K

104.67%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$4.25 LKR 1,425

224.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$14.86 LKR 4,979

23.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$3.27 LKR 1,095

171.25%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$37.44 LKR 12.5K

1737.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$448 LKR 150.0K

3425.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$27.75 LKR 9,297

113.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$19.66 LKR 6,588

76.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$70.3 LKR 23.6K

63.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$38.11 LKR 12.8K

119.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

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 Katunayaka: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 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 137%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $801 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $534 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $37.44 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 $534, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.