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 $132 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $246 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $360 in Maharagama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 835% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Maharagama 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.20 LKR 1,719

-15.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$20.09 LKR 6,642

60.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.02 LKR 2,321

27.21%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.13 LKR 705

36.15%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.61 LKR 201

44.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.29 LKR 94.3

65.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.90 LKR 297

107.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.25 LKR 82.7

488.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.51 LKR 168

203.92%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.44 LKR 476

45.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

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

$0.45 LKR 148

573.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.48 LKR 159

112.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

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

$102 ฿3,411

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.69 LKR 1,549

141.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$13.87 LKR 4,587

25.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

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

$200 LKR 66.1K

954.06%

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

$248 LKR 81.9K

99.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 99% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $20.00 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $19.00 – making Maharagama 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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 835%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $198 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1320% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $20.00 in Maharagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $132, 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.