Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nuwara Eliya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nuwara Eliya

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 64.7% more expensive than Nuwara Eliya without rent, and 132.5% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 32.1% more expensive than Nuwara Eliya without rent, and 169.8% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.68 ฿151
$4.08 LKR 1,218
14.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.4 ฿1,502
$24.91 LKR 7,444
86.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 ฿280
$8.55 LKR 2,554
1.17%
Cappuccino
$3.09 ฿100
$2.72 LKR 811
13.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿23.53
$0.73 LKR 219
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.95
$0.41 LKR 121
-9.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ฿77.4
$2.28 LKR 681
4.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ฿117
$3.34 LKR 997
8.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ฿72.5
$1.69 LKR 505
32.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.8 ฿58.2
$0.56 LKR 167
221.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ฿72.3
$0.81 LKR 242
176.54%
Eggs
$2.23 ฿72.1
$2.23 LKR 666
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.31 ฿625
$14.18 LKR 4,237
36.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ฿122
$4.56 LKR 1,362
-17.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿422
$8.21 LKR 2,453
58.95%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿106
$7.56 LKR 2,258
-56.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$1.08 LKR 323
50.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.4 ฿77.7
$5.72 LKR 1,709
-58.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.3
$1.21 LKR 362
64.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.62
$1.1 LKR 330
39.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ฿48.11
$1.4 LKR 419
6.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ฿32.87
$1.19 LKR 357
-14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.61
$0.55 LKR 165
-12.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ฿140
$10.02 LKR 2,993
-56.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.68 ฿702
$14.19 LKR 4,239
52.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿57.3
$2.03 LKR 607
-12.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿90.4
$2.98 LKR 890
-6.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ฿43.74
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿380
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ฿102
$0.41 LKR 124
668.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1 ฿32.3
$0.36 LKR 106
177.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 ฿442
$0.6 LKR 179
2173.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.3 ฿42.2
$1.26 LKR 376
3.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿885.2K
$26.8K LKR 8M
1.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$34.2K LKR 10.2M
-0.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿3,970
$60.1 LKR 18K
104.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿451
$4.25 LKR 1,269
227.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 ฿590
$15.13 LKR 4,520
20.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 ฿1,966
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.11 ฿554
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿294
$3.29 LKR 984
175.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$694 ฿22.5K
$37.32 LKR 11.2K
1760.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿514.4K
$443 LKR 132.3K
3489.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 ฿1,861
$27.16 LKR 8,117
111.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.51 ฿1,117
$19.23 LKR 5,746
79.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,727
$68.2 LKR 20.4K
68.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ฿2,743
$39.18 LKR 11.7K
116.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 ฿19.8K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 ฿14.3K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 ฿65.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ฿47.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,244 ฿137.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,886 ฿93.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Nuwara Eliya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 ฿22.5K
-
-
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: October 29, 2025

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: October 27, 2025

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