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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $512 in Piliyandala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $814 in Piliyandala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,115 in Piliyandala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 147% more expensive than in Piliyandala, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.39 LKR 1,137

32.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$13.41 LKR 4,501

239.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.25 LKR 2,769

6.18%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.74 LKR 921

8.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.72 LKR 242

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.40 LKR 136

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.05 LKR 689

23.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.39 LKR 1,136

10.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.71 LKR 574

25.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.52 LKR 175

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.83 LKR 277

162.65%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.12 LKR 712

6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.99 LKR 4,693

42.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.64 LKR 1,556

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$7.98 LKR 2,678

69.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$7.64 LKR 2,563

-57.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.07 LKR 359

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$5.62 LKR 1,885

-58.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.20 LKR 403

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.11 LKR 374

39.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.36 LKR 455

7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.19 LKR 399

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.60 LKR 203

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$9.89 LKR 3,319

-56.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.55 LKR 4,211

47.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.06 LKR 691

-9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.94 LKR 986

-9.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.42 LKR 141

654.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.32 LKR 109

221.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.57 LKR 192

2336.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.20 LKR 403

11.67%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

2.11%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-3.94%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

103.76%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.45 LKR 1,492

209.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.23 LKR 5,112

20.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.30 LKR 1,109

168.79%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

1800.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$442 LKR 148.4K

3468.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$27.95 LKR 9,378

112.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.33 LKR 6,487

79.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$70.1 LKR 23.5K

64.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$38.09 LKR 12.8K

119.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Piliyandala: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in Piliyandala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $256 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 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $768 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 $688 in Phuket versus $36.19 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 $13.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $512 in Piliyandala versus $1,264 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 147% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.