Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Moratuwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Moratuwa

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Moratuwa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Moratuwa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $131 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Moratuwa $131

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $211 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Moratuwa $211

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $291 in Moratuwa, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Moratuwa $291

Phuket costs about 874% more than Moratuwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Moratuwa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Moratuwa 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$1.84 LKR 611

53.80%

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

$0.71 LKR 234

22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

$0.15 LKR 49.28

226.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

$1.85 LKR 616

38.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$2.46 LKR 816

49.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.25 LKR 417

32.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

$0.46 LKR 154

217.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$0.82 LKR 272

82.93%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$2.36 LKR 785

-11.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

$12.27 LKR 4,078

55.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$0.46 LKR 154

267.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

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

$26.8K ฿902.4K

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

$26.7K ฿899.5K

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

$96.4 ฿3,247

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

$11.26 ฿380

$4.44 LKR 1,475

153.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

$15.01 LKR 4,989

347.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

$3.08 LKR 1,024

248.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

$6.05 LKR 2,013

369.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Moratuwa

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Moratuwa

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Moratuwa

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Moratuwa

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Moratuwa

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Moratuwa

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Moratuwa

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇱🇰 Moratuwa

🕒 Local time

08:01 8:01 AM

06:31 6:31 AM

1 h 30 min behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

207,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

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Between locations

Phuket Moratuwa 2,040 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Moratuwa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Moratuwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 874%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $197 in Moratuwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $131 in Moratuwa. That makes Moratuwa about 90% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 283% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moratuwa, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Moratuwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.