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 $484 in Ratnapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $779 in Ratnapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,073 in Ratnapura.

Living in Phuket is roughly 154% more expensive than in Ratnapura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Ratnapura 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.94 LKR 641

127.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$9.13 LKR 3,023

253.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.17 LKR 2,043

44.73%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.12 LKR 701

36.79%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.74 LKR 244

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.47 LKR 157

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.02 LKR 669

16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.71 LKR 898

37.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.81 LKR 601

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.77 LKR 256

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.61 LKR 203

154.10%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.08 LKR 358

94.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$15.01 LKR 4,969

30.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.31 LKR 2,089

-45.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$15.81 LKR 5,236

-28.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.40 LKR 1,456

-32.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.76 LKR 252

121.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$4.26 LKR 1,409

-48.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.00 LKR 333

116.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.06 LKR 352

43.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.44 LKR 477

-6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.48 LKR 158

135.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.48 LKR 158

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$13.12 LKR 4,345

-67.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$12.76 LKR 4,225

49.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.04 LKR 677

-12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.93 LKR 969

-5.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.35 LKR 117

537.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.38 LKR 127

697.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.47 LKR 157

117.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.97 LKR 322

53.61%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

33.29%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

36.30%

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

$102 ฿3,420

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

$11.33 ฿378

$2.13 LKR 705

431.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$7.40 LKR 2,452

135.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$9.04 LKR 2,991

476.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$2.39 LKR 792

221.76%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$10.50 LKR 3,476

500.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$7.79 LKR 2,580

278.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$84.8 LKR 28.1K

15.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$25.60 LKR 8,475

245.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

874.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

796.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

1308.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$168 LKR 55.5K

194.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $75.8 in Ratnapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 195% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Ratnapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $261 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, Getting Around. The 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 195% higher in Phuket, 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: $738 in Phuket versus $75.8 in Ratnapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% 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 $9.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $484 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 154% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.