Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kolonnawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kolonnawa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $507 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $826 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,144 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 149% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.08 LKR 1,361

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,524

$25.32 LKR 8,445

84.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿277

$8.28 LKR 2,761

2.29%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.9

$2.75 LKR 918

10.18%

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

$0.69 ฿22.52

$0.69 LKR 231

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.96

$0.38 LKR 126

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.3

$2.30 LKR 767

8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.26 LKR 1,088

12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.3

$1.72 LKR 573

26.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.2

$0.52 LKR 174

265.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.8

$0.74 LKR 247

197.30%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.6

$2.16 LKR 719

2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿653

$8.26 LKR 2,755

142.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿120

$4.71 LKR 1,572

-22.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿433

$8.07 LKR 2,693

64.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$7.32 LKR 2,442

-55.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.5

$1.07 LKR 358

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.2

$5.80 LKR 1,935

-58.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.9

$1.26 LKR 422

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.0

$1.10 LKR 366

44.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.47

$1.40 LKR 466

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.65

$1.15 LKR 383

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.89

$0.52 LKR 172

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿139

$9.92 LKR 3,310

-57.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿614

$10.34 LKR 3,447

81.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.4

$1.99 LKR 664

-11.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.1

$2.43 LKR 809

13.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿371

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$0.41 LKR 137

665.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.85

$0.35 LKR 117

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿450

$0.60 LKR 200

2195.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.94

$1.20 LKR 401

11.67%

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

$27.7K ฿904.5K

$27.0K LKR 9.0M

2.51%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-3.80%

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

$124 ฿4,039

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

106.36%

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

$13.52 ฿442

$4.21 LKR 1,404

221.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿611

$14.88 LKR 4,964

25.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,020

$10.13 LKR 3,379

510.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿564

$1.66 LKR 553

939.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿299

$3.38 LKR 1,129

170.41%

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

$703 ฿23.0K

$37.47 LKR 12.5K

1775.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿518.7K

$439 LKR 146.5K

3513.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,943

$27.75 LKR 9,258

114.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,146

$19.76 LKR 6,591

77.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,767

$68.2 LKR 22.7K

69.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,747

$38.86 LKR 13.0K

116.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿119.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.6K

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 Kolonnawa: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $231 – making Kolonnawa 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 Kolonnawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 149% more than Kolonnawa, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $761 in Kolonnawa. 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 $507 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $37.47 in Kolonnawa. 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 Kolonnawa, where all-in costs run around $507, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Kolonnawa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kolonnawa costs $507 versus $1,261 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 Kolonnawa. 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.