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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $515 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $835 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,154 in Ragama.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Ragama 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.41 LKR 1,448

5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$26.20 LKR 8,610

22.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.64 LKR 2,509

13.61%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.54 LKR 834

14.17%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.69 LKR 226

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.27 LKR 88.7

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.25 LKR 740

10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.12 LKR 1,026

19.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.43 LKR 468

32.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.51 LKR 166

176.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.69 LKR 226

134.78%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.66 LKR 546

34.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.16 LKR 4,324

50.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.94 LKR 1,622

-29.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.23 LKR 2,376

57.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.71 LKR 2,206

-56.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.89 LKR 294

93.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-47.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.24 LKR 408

71.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.04 LKR 343

41.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.80 LKR 262

77.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.88 LKR 290

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.46 LKR 151

30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$10.46 LKR 3,435

-58.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$13.56 LKR 4,457

37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.00 LKR 656

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.77 LKR 909

7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.39 LKR 128

694.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.39 LKR 127

176.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$0.92 LKR 303

320.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.35 LKR 443

5.93%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

-7.28%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-35.22%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

92.79%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$4.16 LKR 1,366

173.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$20.62 LKR 6,776

-14.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.49 LKR 1,477

73.27%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

1388.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

832.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$20.02 LKR 6,577

217.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$16.51 LKR 5,424

76.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

115.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ragama: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $233 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, Getting Around. The 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $773 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 $576 in Phuket versus $38.72 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 $26.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $515 in Ragama versus $1,265 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 146% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.