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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $598 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $867 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,136 in Matara, rent included.

Phuket costs about 111% more than Matara, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Matara are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Matara 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.32 LKR 1,421

7.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$26.06 LKR 8,564

23.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.79 LKR 2,560

11.42%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.48 LKR 816

16.94%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.69 LKR 227

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.27 LKR 89.1

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.28 LKR 748

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.09 LKR 1,015

20.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.56 LKR 514

21.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.52 LKR 172

171.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.79 LKR 260

105.06%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.46 LKR 480

53.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.18 LKR 4,331

50.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.20 LKR 1,708

-33.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.26 LKR 2,384

56.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.95 LKR 2,285

-58.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.44 LKR 144

290.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$4.30 LKR 1,413

-47.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.86 LKR 283

147.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.98 LKR 321

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.62 LKR 204

129.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.91 LKR 299

20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.45 LKR 149

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.70 LKR 3,186

-55.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.99 LKR 4,597

32.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.80 LKR 591

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.93 LKR 962

1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.29 LKR 94.8

675.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.38 LKR 126

715.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.36 LKR 117

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$0.87 LKR 285

344.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.28 LKR 419

11.72%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

-8.64%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$42.1K LKR 13.8M

-35.95%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$45.58 LKR 15.0K

129.93%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$4.12 LKR 1,355

176.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$21.35 LKR 7,016

-17.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.47 LKR 1,469

74.05%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$38.10 LKR 12.5K

1413.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,210 LKR 397.5K

857.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$20.00 LKR 6,571

218.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$17.05 LKR 5,602

70.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

21.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$42.56 LKR 14.0K

111.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$180 LKR 59.3K

306.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$92.6 LKR 30.4K

440.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$105 LKR 34.4K

384.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Matara: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $180 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 385% 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 $26.00 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $232 – 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 111%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $898 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $598 in Matara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $38.10 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 $598, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.