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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $513 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $835 in Katunayaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,156 in Katunayaka, rent included.

Phuket costs about 147% more than Katunayaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Katunayaka are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Katunayaka 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.41 LKR 1,448

5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$26.43 LKR 8,685

21.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.73 LKR 2,541

12.29%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.55 LKR 838

13.73%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.74 LKR 243

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.25 LKR 81.3

96.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.25 LKR 739

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.03 LKR 997

23.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.58 LKR 520

19.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.53 LKR 173

166.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.77 LKR 252

110.39%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.61 LKR 530

39.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$12.99 LKR 4,269

52.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.15 LKR 1,692

-32.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.16 LKR 2,352

58.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.61 LKR 2,171

-56.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.88 LKR 289

95.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$4.33 LKR 1,423

-47.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.22 LKR 402

74.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.00 LKR 330

47.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.76 LKR 251

86.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.88 LKR 289

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.48 LKR 159

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$10.46 LKR 3,436

-58.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.80 LKR 4,534

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.98 LKR 650

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.78 LKR 912

6.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.39 LKR 128

694.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.35 LKR 116

208.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$0.88 LKR 290

339.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.34 LKR 439

6.72%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

-7.07%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$42.3K LKR 13.9M

-36.24%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$54.9 LKR 18.0K

91.07%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$4.27 LKR 1,404

166.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$20.54 LKR 6,748

-14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.36 LKR 1,434

78.44%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$37.49 LKR 12.3K

1437.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,231 LKR 404.6K

840.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$20.33 LKR 6,680

213.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$16.91 LKR 5,557

72.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$78.6 LKR 25.8K

22.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$42.30 LKR 13.9K

112.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Katunayaka: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Katunayaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $235 – 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 147%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $769 in Katunayaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $513 in Katunayaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $37.49 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 $513, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.