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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $506 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $836 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $1,166 in Kolonnawa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 151% more than Kolonnawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Kolonnawa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Kolonnawa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$4.04 LKR 1,278

15.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$24.90 LKR 7,882

86.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$8.53 LKR 2,699

1.76%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$2.66 LKR 841

10.90%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.68 LKR 216

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.40 LKR 128

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$2.30 LKR 728

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$3.33 LKR 1,054

13.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.70 LKR 539

30.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.53 LKR 166

239.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$0.70 LKR 222

212.86%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.14 LKR 676

7.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$8.53 LKR 2,700

126.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$4.80 LKR 1,519

-21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$8.25 LKR 2,611

60.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$7.38 LKR 2,335

-54.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.11 LKR 350

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$5.73 LKR 1,813

-60.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.26 LKR 400

57.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$1.15 LKR 364

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.38 LKR 437

9.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$1.19 LKR 378

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.52 LKR 164

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$10.24 LKR 3,241

-56.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$10.98 LKR 3,475

76.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$2.04 LKR 645

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.35 LKR 744

14.04%

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 123

679.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.33 LKR 104

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$0.58 LKR 182

2258.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.20 LKR 380

8.33%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

5.45%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

-6.29%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$60.7 LKR 19.2K

102.59%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$4.38 LKR 1,386

215.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$14.88 LKR 4,710

26.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$10.09 LKR 3,193

506.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$1.65 LKR 522

918.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$3.37 LKR 1,067

163.20%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$37.43 LKR 11.8K

1760.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$435 LKR 137.7K

3590.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$27.11 LKR 8,580

118.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$19.14 LKR 6,057

82.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$68.8 LKR 21.8K

64.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$38.54 LKR 12.2K

120.68%

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 Kolonnawa: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $0 in Kolonnawa. 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 Kolonnawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $235 – 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 151% more than Kolonnawa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $759 in Kolonnawa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Phuket and $506 in Kolonnawa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $37.43 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 $506, than in Phuket at $1,270. 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 $506 versus $1,270 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.