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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $475 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $770 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,065 in Kurunegala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 159% more expensive than in Kurunegala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Kurunegala 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.82 LKR 600

142.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$26.28 LKR 8,690

22.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$4.45 LKR 1,470

100.67%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.45 LKR 809

18.37%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.48 LKR 159

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.25 LKR 81.8

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.26 LKR 746

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.02 LKR 1,000

23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.53 LKR 507

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.45 LKR 149

226.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.76 LKR 252

103.95%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.66 LKR 547

26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$13.08 LKR 4,326

49.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.17 LKR 1,710

-33.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.16 LKR 2,367

58.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$6.90 LKR 2,283

-56.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.84 LKR 278

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.41 LKR 1,457

-49.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.23 LKR 406

75.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.00 LKR 330

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.77 LKR 254

74.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.90 LKR 297

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.49 LKR 161

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.51 LKR 3,474

-59.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$13.62 LKR 4,505

40.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.97 LKR 651

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.91 LKR 962

-4.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.38 LKR 127

697.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.31 LKR 104

229.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.94 LKR 312

313.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.09 LKR 361

36.70%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$29.9K LKR 9.9M

-11.07%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$43.1K LKR 14.3M

-37.33%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$55.2 LKR 18.2K

85.70%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.24 LKR 1,403

167.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$20.58 LKR 6,803

-15.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.35 LKR 1,437

76.78%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$38.59 LKR 12.8K

1352.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,202 LKR 397.3K

857.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$20.18 LKR 6,672

212.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$16.45 LKR 5,440

79.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$81.2 LKR 26.9K

20.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$42.70 LKR 14.1K

107.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$151 LKR 49.9K

227.32%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 227% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $236 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, Getting Around. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 227% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $38.59 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $475 in Kurunegala versus $1,232 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 159% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.