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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $519 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $861 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,203 in Ragama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 144% more expensive than in Ragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.07 LKR 1,363

10.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$24.91 LKR 8,346

83.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.51 LKR 2,850

2.94%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$2.63 LKR 880

12.93%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.73 LKR 245

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.38 LKR 126

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$2.32 LKR 777

9.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.32 LKR 1,112

12.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.58 LKR 528

36.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$0.56 LKR 189

225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$0.73 LKR 243

198.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.11 LKR 706

6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$14.22 LKR 4,765

40.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.54 LKR 1,523

-20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$8.20 LKR 2,747

65.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$7.41 LKR 2,482

-56.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.12 LKR 376

46.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$5.81 LKR 1,948

-59.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.24 LKR 416

66.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.16 LKR 388

33.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.24 LKR 416

17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$1.15 LKR 386

-14.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.55 LKR 186

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$10.07 LKR 3,373

-56.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$12.44 LKR 4,167

49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$2.10 LKR 705

-11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.98 LKR 999

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.38 LKR 129

734.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.35 LKR 118

194.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$0.57 LKR 191

2336.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.26 LKR 423

6.35%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

5.83%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-2.26%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$59.4 LKR 19.9K

107.09%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$4.29 LKR 1,437

220.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$14.96 LKR 5,013

22.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$3.36 LKR 1,127

163.99%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

1735.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$445 LKR 149.1K

3446.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$27.07 LKR 9,070

119.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$19.30 LKR 6,467

79.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$69.5 LKR 23.3K

65.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

113.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

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 Ragama: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 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 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $779 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 $688 in Phuket versus $37.47 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 $519 in Ragama versus $1,264 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 144% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.