Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Piliyandala Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Piliyandala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $514 in Piliyandala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $810 in Piliyandala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,106 in Piliyandala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 146% more expensive than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.42 LKR 1,139

33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$13.52 LKR 4,511

244.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.60 LKR 2,868

-1.51%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.68 LKR 893

13.06%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.68 LKR 227

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.40 LKR 135

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.04 LKR 679

22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.29 LKR 1,099

11.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.76 LKR 586

23.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.53 LKR 176

258.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.87 LKR 291

152.87%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.23 LKR 744

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$13.82 LKR 4,609

44.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.61 LKR 1,538

-20.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.21 LKR 2,740

61.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.58 LKR 2,529

-57.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.11 LKR 371

53.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.87 LKR 1,957

-59.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.24 LKR 414

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.11 LKR 371

43.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.35 LKR 452

9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.14 LKR 379

-9.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.55 LKR 185

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$9.96 LKR 3,324

-57.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$12.87 LKR 4,292

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.00 LKR 666

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.92 LKR 974

-5.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.41 LKR 138

665.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.36 LKR 118

188.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$0.61 LKR 205

2157.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.25 LKR 418

7.20%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

3.40%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-1.65%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$60.6 LKR 20.2K

103.94%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.42 LKR 1,475

205.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.24 LKR 5,084

22.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.45 LKR 1,150

164.93%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$36.95 LKR 12.3K

1801.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$438 LKR 146.0K

3525.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$28.06 LKR 9,361

111.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.67 LKR 6,560

78.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$68.1 LKR 22.7K

69.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.22 LKR 12.8K

119.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

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

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 Piliyandala: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Piliyandala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $257 per month, with Piliyandala cheaper across the board.

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 Piliyandala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Piliyandala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $771 in Piliyandala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $36.95 in Piliyandala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Piliyandala – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $514 in Piliyandala versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Piliyandala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Piliyandala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Piliyandala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Piliyandala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Piliyandala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.