Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Matara Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Matara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $585 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $915 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,245 in Matara, rent included.

Phuket costs about 116% more than Matara, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Matara are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Matara 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.44 LKR 819

83.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$25.31 LKR 8,481

80.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.42 LKR 2,823

4.04%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$2.76 LKR 926

7.61%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.72 LKR 243

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.37 LKR 125

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$2.33 LKR 779

8.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.44 LKR 1,152

9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.70 LKR 571

26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$0.52 LKR 175

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$0.81 LKR 273

169.14%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.20 LKR 737

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$14.25 LKR 4,773

40.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.77 LKR 1,600

-23.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$7.87 LKR 2,639

72.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$7.39 LKR 2,477

-56.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$0.55 LKR 185

198.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$5.90 LKR 1,978

-60.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$0.70 LKR 233

195.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.86 LKR 289

80.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$0.53 LKR 176

175.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$1.15 LKR 384

-14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.60 LKR 202

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$9.97 LKR 3,339

-56.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$12.83 LKR 4,300

44.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$2.08 LKR 697

-10.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.99 LKR 1,001

-11.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.18 LKR 61.3

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.42 LKR 139

654.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.36 LKR 119

186.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$0.56 LKR 188

2380.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.22 LKR 408

9.84%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

4.43%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-3.19%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$25.15 LKR 8,426

389.26%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$4.23 LKR 1,417

225.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$5.10 LKR 1,710

259.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$3.31 LKR 1,107

167.98%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$37.49 LKR 12.6K

1734.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$438 LKR 146.7K

3502.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$28.09 LKR 9,411

111.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$19.49 LKR 6,531

77.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$68.6 LKR 23.0K

67.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$38.16 LKR 12.8K

119.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$166 LKR 55.7K

273.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$117 LKR 39.3K

280.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$498 LKR 166.8K

308.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$166 LKR 55.8K

798.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$102 LKR 34.3K

381.91%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Matara: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $166 in Matara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 382% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $249 – making Matara 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 Matara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 116%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $878 in Matara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $585 in Matara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $37.49 in Matara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Matara, where all-in costs run around $585, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Matara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matara – 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 Matara. 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.