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 $454 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $756 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,058 in Kurunegala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 171% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kurunegala 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$1.89 LKR 603

144.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$24.68 LKR 7,870

89.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$5.14 LKR 1,639

71.98%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.73 LKR 869

9.89%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.43 LKR 137

72.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.38 LKR 120

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.97 LKR 628

23.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.95 LKR 939

22.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.62 LKR 518

39.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.48 LKR 153

283.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.87 LKR 277

157.47%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.21 LKR 703

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$13.83 LKR 4,411

42.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.71 LKR 1,501

-22.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$8.01 LKR 2,553

63.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$7.69 LKR 2,454

-55.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.12 LKR 357

46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$5.76 LKR 1,836

-58.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.20 LKR 383

69.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.15 LKR 367

35.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.40 LKR 447

7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.20 LKR 383

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.60 LKR 192

-18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$10.22 LKR 3,259

-56.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$12.52 LKR 3,992

50.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.06 LKR 659

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.93 LKR 935

-6.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.34 LKR 110

311.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.41 LKR 131

660.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.33 LKR 104

203.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$0.61 LKR 194

2209.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.26 LKR 402

7.14%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

3.28%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.5K LKR 11.0M

-4.56%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$27.05 LKR 8,627

362.03%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$2.05 LKR 653

561.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$15.27 LKR 4,871

21.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$8.13 LKR 2,592

656.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$1.36 LKR 435

575.74%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$37.06 LKR 11.8K

1784.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$438 LKR 139.7K

3459.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$11.87 LKR 3,786

386.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$19.73 LKR 6,292

78.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$43.22 LKR 13.8K

161.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$38.08 LKR 12.1K

126.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$102 LKR 32.5K

503.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$203 LKR 64.7K

909.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$156 LKR 49.7K

236.01%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $102 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 236% 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 $25.00 in Kurunegala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $256 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 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 236% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $102 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $37.06 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 $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $454 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 171% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.