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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $583 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $928 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,272 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 6% lower, Matara 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.47 LKR 825

84.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$24.67 LKR 8,231

89.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.45 LKR 2,817

0.24%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.77 LKR 923

9.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.69 LKR 232

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.38 LKR 125

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.38 LKR 794

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.31 LKR 1,104

10.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.73 LKR 577

26.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.55 LKR 185

245.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.86 LKR 287

155.81%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.13 LKR 711

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$14.00 LKR 4,670

42.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.55 LKR 1,517

-19.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$7.88 LKR 2,628

68.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.65 LKR 2,553

-57.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.53 LKR 176

220.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.88 LKR 1,962

-59.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.65 LKR 217

220.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.83 LKR 276

91.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.49 LKR 162

202.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.15 LKR 384

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.57 LKR 190

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$10.01 LKR 3,340

-57.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.85 LKR 4,286

46.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.10 LKR 702

-16.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.87 LKR 959

-3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.16 LKR 54.7

750.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.39 LKR 130

705.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.33 LKR 109

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$0.57 LKR 191

2315.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.21 LKR 402

10.74%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

3.33%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-3.35%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$25.92 LKR 8,645

376.81%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.26 LKR 1,423

217.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$5.11 LKR 1,706

265.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.43 LKR 1,144

166.47%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$37.26 LKR 12.4K

1785.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$445 LKR 148.3K

3470.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$27.74 LKR 9,252

114.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.47 LKR 6,494

80.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

64.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

119.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$167 LKR 55.7K

270.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$119 LKR 39.5K

264.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$494 LKR 164.7K

317.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$169 LKR 56.5K

792.82%

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

$106 LKR 35.2K

380.02%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Matara: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $167 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 380% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $248 – 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $875 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $583 in Matara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $37.26 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 $583, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.