Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $523 in Ratnapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $854 in Ratnapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,185 in Ratnapura.

Living in Phuket is roughly 136% more expensive than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.22 LKR 709

108.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$10.12 LKR 3,228

362.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$6.90 LKR 2,199

28.12%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.32 LKR 739

29.31%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.80 LKR 255

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.51 LKR 164

-27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.12 LKR 677

15.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.04 LKR 970

18.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.96 LKR 624

15.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.81 LKR 257

127.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$0.67 LKR 213

234.33%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.18 LKR 376

96.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$16.59 LKR 5,290

18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$7.00 LKR 2,231

-47.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$17.62 LKR 5,619

-25.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$4.60 LKR 1,467

-26.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$0.78 LKR 248

110.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$4.56 LKR 1,455

-47.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.06 LKR 338

91.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.11 LKR 353

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.57 LKR 502

-4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.52 LKR 166

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.48 LKR 152

2.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$14.35 LKR 4,578

-68.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$12.91 LKR 4,118

46.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.25 LKR 718

-20.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.16 LKR 1,008

-12.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.38 LKR 121

268.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.42 LKR 133

642.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.48 LKR 155

108.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$0.32 LKR 101

4303.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.04 LKR 330

29.81%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

26.57%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

50.78%

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$13.57 ฿444

$2.25 LKR 719

503.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$7.87 LKR 2,511

135.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$9.92 LKR 3,165

519.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$2.70 LKR 862

240.37%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$11.55 LKR 3,682

400.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$8.61 LKR 2,747

309.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$28.14 LKR 8,973

206.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

622.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

638.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

1511.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$174 LKR 55.3K

201.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $85.2 in Ratnapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 202% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Ratnapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $282 per month, with Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratnapura 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.

Phuket pays 202% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $85.2 in Ratnapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratnapura – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $523 in Ratnapura versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ratnapura but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ratnapura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura 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.