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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $534 in Ratnapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $858 in Ratnapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,183 in Ratnapura.

Living in Phuket is roughly 137% more expensive than in Ratnapura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.19 LKR 735

104.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$10.13 LKR 3,398

350.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.81 LKR 2,287

28.63%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.37 LKR 797

25.32%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.87 LKR 291

-20.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.49 LKR 164

-20.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.12 LKR 713

19.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.94 LKR 988

27.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.97 LKR 662

9.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.81 LKR 271

124.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.72 LKR 242

202.78%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.24 LKR 417

81.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$16.47 LKR 5,527

21.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.97 LKR 2,338

-47.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$17.18 LKR 5,766

-21.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$4.66 LKR 1,563

-30.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.77 LKR 260

112.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$4.78 LKR 1,603

-51.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.06 LKR 355

95.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.12 LKR 377

38.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.50 LKR 502

-2.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.52 LKR 174

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.52 LKR 175

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$14.29 LKR 4,794

-69.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.44 LKR 4,175

49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.30 LKR 773

-19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.21 LKR 1,077

-17.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.41 LKR 138

246.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.41 LKR 139

673.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.53 LKR 177

94.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.35 LKR 116

3868.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.08 LKR 361

24.07%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

27.42%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

56.63%

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

$123 ฿4,105

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

$13.77 ฿459

$2.26 LKR 757

509.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$7.88 LKR 2,645

132.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$10.10 LKR 3,389

500.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.71 LKR 910

227.31%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$11.60 LKR 3,893

411.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$8.24 LKR 2,766

321.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$28.63 LKR 9,606

192.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

657.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

651.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

1519.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$170 LKR 57.0K

190.76%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $82.1 in Ratnapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 191% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Ratnapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $281 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 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 191% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $82.1 in Ratnapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $534 in Ratnapura versus $1,264 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 137% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.