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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $534 in Ragama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $867 in Ragama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,201 in Ragama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 136% more expensive than Ragama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Ragama 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$4.06 LKR 1,369

12.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,535

$25.46 LKR 8,582

83.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$8.28 LKR 2,790

2.29%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$2.76 LKR 929

9.78%

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

$0.69 ฿22.69

$0.73 LKR 247

-5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.38 LKR 128

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.9

$2.38 LKR 802

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.44 LKR 1,161

6.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.8

$1.63 LKR 551

33.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$0.53 LKR 178

258.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$0.75 LKR 254

193.33%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$2.13 LKR 717

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿658

$14.01 LKR 4,720

42.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$4.60 LKR 1,550

-20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$7.90 LKR 2,662

67.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$7.43 LKR 2,504

-56.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$1.10 LKR 372

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.8

$5.62 LKR 1,894

-57.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.25 LKR 421

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.4

$1.16 LKR 392

37.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.83

$1.19 LKR 400

24.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.90

$1.20 LKR 404

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.01

$0.60 LKR 201

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$10.10 LKR 3,403

-57.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

$12.58 LKR 4,240

49.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.02 LKR 682

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$2.94 LKR 992

-6.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$0.41 LKR 138

665.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.10

$0.32 LKR 109

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿453

$0.56 LKR 189

2358.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.26

$1.21 LKR 407

10.74%

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

$27.7K ฿911.1K

$26.6K LKR 9.0M

4.11%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.9K LKR 11.8M

-2.90%

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

$124 ฿4,069

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

103.74%

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

$13.52 ฿445

$4.27 LKR 1,438

216.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿615

$15.07 LKR 5,079

24.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$3.38 LKR 1,138

170.41%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

1819.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿522.5K

$444 LKR 149.7K

3472.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$27.18 LKR 9,159

118.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,154

$19.47 LKR 6,561

80.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,795

$69.4 LKR 23.4K

66.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,767

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

120.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

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 Ragama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Ragama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $253 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 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $800 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 $703 in Phuket versus $36.60 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $534 in Ragama versus $1,261 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 136% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.