Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kurunegala Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kurunegala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $445 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $745 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,044 in Kurunegala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 183% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kurunegala 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.97 LKR 658

131.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$25.57 LKR 8,530

82.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.14 LKR 1,713

64.79%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.74 LKR 913

10.58%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.40 LKR 133

72.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.37 LKR 125

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.98 LKR 659

25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.90 LKR 969

26.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.65 LKR 549

32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.51 LKR 171

272.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.81 LKR 270

171.60%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.19 LKR 730

1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$14.25 LKR 4,752

40.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.73 LKR 1,577

-22.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.27 LKR 2,760

60.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.33 LKR 2,445

-55.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.07 LKR 355

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.71 LKR 1,903

-58.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.21 LKR 403

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.16 LKR 386

37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.41 LKR 472

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.15 LKR 385

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.55 LKR 184

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$10.16 LKR 3,389

-58.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.66 LKR 4,223

48.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.02 LKR 674

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.87 LKR 958

-3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.31 LKR 105

338.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.41 LKR 138

665.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.33 LKR 109

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$0.58 LKR 192

2274.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.20 LKR 401

11.67%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

2.88%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$35.1K LKR 11.7M

-3.66%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$26.57 LKR 8,864

365.15%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$1.97 LKR 657

586.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.05 LKR 5,021

24.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$8.43 LKR 2,812

633.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$1.37 LKR 456

567.15%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$37.39 LKR 12.5K

1779.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$436 LKR 145.5K

3538.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$11.82 LKR 3,942

403.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.06 LKR 6,359

84.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$44.04 LKR 14.7K

161.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$39.34 LKR 13.1K

113.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$98.7 LKR 32.9K

526.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$199 LKR 66.3K

938.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$147 LKR 48.9K

245.58%

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 Kurunegala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $98.7 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 246% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $255 per month, with Kurunegala cheaper across the board.

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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 246% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $98.7 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $37.39 in Kurunegala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $445 in Kurunegala versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kurunegala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.