Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ragama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $526 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $851 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,177 in Ragama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 141% more expensive than Ragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Ragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$3.92 LKR 1,240

18.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$25.21 LKR 7,978

84.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$8.54 LKR 2,703

1.64%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$2.73 LKR 865

8.06%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.74 LKR 233

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.40 LKR 127

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$2.32 LKR 734

9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$3.26 LKR 1,032

15.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.58 LKR 501

40.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.53 LKR 168

239.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$0.75 LKR 238

192.00%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.19 LKR 694

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$14.03 LKR 4,441

37.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$4.64 LKR 1,468

-18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$7.93 LKR 2,509

66.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$7.69 LKR 2,433

-56.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.07 LKR 340

54.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$5.69 LKR 1,801

-59.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.26 LKR 399

57.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$1.11 LKR 351

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.18 LKR 375

27.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$1.16 LKR 367

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.61 LKR 192

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$10.10 LKR 3,198

-56.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$12.87 LKR 4,073

50.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$2.00 LKR 632

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.96 LKR 936

-9.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$0.39 LKR 123

679.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.35 LKR 111

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$0.56 LKR 178

2342.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.26 LKR 400

3.17%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$27.3K LKR 8.6M

2.28%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$34.7K LKR 11.0M

-4.91%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$59.0 LKR 18.7K

108.39%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$4.43 LKR 1,404

211.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$15.40 LKR 4,875

22.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$3.45 LKR 1,091

157.10%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$37.37 LKR 11.8K

1763.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$440 LKR 139.4K

3546.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$27.22 LKR 8,616

117.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$19.32 LKR 6,116

80.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

61.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$39.05 LKR 12.4K

117.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ragama: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $0 in Ragama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $25 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $255 per month, with Ragama 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ragama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $789 in Ragama 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 $696 in Phuket versus $37.37 in Ragama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ragama – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $526 in Ragama versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ragama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ragama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ragama 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 Ragama 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 Ragama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.