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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $473 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $789 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,105 in Maharagama, rent included.

Phuket costs about 167% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Maharagama 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.92 LKR 644

11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.49 LKR 164

271.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.73 LKR 246

198.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.07 LKR 694

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$16.11 LKR 5,405

24.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.95 LKR 1,995

-38.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.91 LKR 3,661

24.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$11.62 LKR 3,898

-72.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.25 LKR 419

31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$10.10 LKR 3,389

-76.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.83 LKR 613

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.19 LKR 400

30.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.21 LKR 407

20.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.61 LKR 541

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.62 LKR 208

-22.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$9.84 LKR 3,303

-55.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.06 LKR 691

-9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.25 LKR 1,090

-18.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$3.44 LKR 1,154

236.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.34 LKR 115

832.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.31 LKR 105

232.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.43 LKR 478

-6.29%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,105

$53.5 LKR 18.0K

130.00%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$3.28 LKR 1,101

319.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$12.46 LKR 4,182

47.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$13.51 LKR 4,534

349.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.09 LKR 1,706

74.26%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

907.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$500 LKR 167.8K

3056.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$24.80 LKR 8,321

139.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$13.30 LKR 4,464

160.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$56.2 LKR 18.9K

104.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$58.1 LKR 19.5K

44.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$165 LKR 55.5K

1129.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$115 LKR 38.6K

1202.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: July 27, 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 167%, 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 $1,896 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 236% 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 $473, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.