Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maharagama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Maharagama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $472 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $789 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,106 in Maharagama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 161% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Maharagama 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.95 LKR 622

15.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.51 LKR 163

260.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.76 LKR 243

194.74%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.11 LKR 672

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$16.26 LKR 5,186

20.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.78 LKR 1,842

-36.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$10.74 LKR 3,425

21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$11.49 LKR 3,665

-70.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.23 LKR 392

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$10.00 LKR 3,188

-75.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.85 LKR 591

9.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.16 LKR 368

34.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.16 LKR 371

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.63 LKR 519

-37.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.61 LKR 193

-19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$9.78 LKR 3,118

-54.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.99 LKR 635

-10.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.24 LKR 1,033

-15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$3.30 LKR 1,051

247.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.32 LKR 101

875.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.31 LKR 99.5

222.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.37 LKR 438

-1.46%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

$53.7 LKR 17.1K

132.78%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$3.44 LKR 1,097

294.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$12.68 LKR 4,044

46.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$13.44 LKR 4,288

357.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$5.09 LKR 1,622

80.55%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$68.0 LKR 21.7K

926.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$510 LKR 162.7K

2956.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$24.77 LKR 7,899

133.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$13.55 LKR 4,322

160.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$54.8 LKR 17.5K

106.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$58.3 LKR 18.6K

48.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$165 LKR 52.5K

1142.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$116 LKR 36.9K

1188.63%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-68.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: April 26, 2026

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 161%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $709 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 248% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $472, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maharagama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Maharagama. 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.