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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $463 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $796 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,130 in Maharagama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 173% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Maharagama 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.87 LKR 623

16.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.52 LKR 173

265.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.78 LKR 262

182.05%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.11 LKR 704

5.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$16.26 LKR 5,423

22.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.96 LKR 1,987

-38.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.99 LKR 3,667

20.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$11.75 LKR 3,920

-72.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.24 LKR 415

37.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$10.12 LKR 3,376

-76.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.82 LKR 608

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.19 LKR 396

33.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.16 LKR 388

27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.56 LKR 520

-33.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.58 LKR 192

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$9.69 LKR 3,233

-56.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.06 LKR 688

-14.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$3.16 LKR 1,055

-12.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$3.37 LKR 1,125

237.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.32 LKR 106

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.29 LKR 96.7

258.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.37 LKR 459

-2.19%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$54.2 LKR 18.1K

127.86%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$3.30 LKR 1,101

309.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$12.75 LKR 4,254

46.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$13.52 LKR 4,510

357.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$5.04 LKR 1,680

81.35%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$67.7 LKR 22.6K

938.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$504 LKR 168.0K

3051.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$24.76 LKR 8,258

140.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$13.58 LKR 4,529

158.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$55.8 LKR 18.6K

106.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$57.4 LKR 19.2K

46.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$167 LKR 55.8K

1132.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$119 LKR 39.5K

1175.18%

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

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: June 6, 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 173%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $694 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 237% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $463, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.