🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $575 in Piliyandala versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $905 in Piliyandala versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,236 in Piliyandala versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Piliyandala costs roughly 53% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Piliyandala58% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.99LKR 989
$4.41฿147
-32.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.31LKR 4,070
$32.26฿1,074
-61.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.69LKR 2,542
$8.93฿297
-13.89%
Cappuccino
$2.56LKR 845
$2.90฿96.4
-11.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68LKR 225
$0.88฿29.30
-22.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25LKR 82.2
$0.48฿16.01
-47.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84LKR 607
$2.35฿78.3
-21.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02LKR 999
$3.72฿124
-18.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.63LKR 540
$1.87฿62.1
-12.83%
White Bread(500g)
$0.53LKR 176
$1.47฿48.81
-63.95%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.74LKR 243
$1.55฿51.7
-52.26%
Eggs
$1.65LKR 546
$2.10฿70.0
-21.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.97LKR 4,287
$19.59฿652
-33.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.97LKR 1,644
$3.42฿114
45.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.43LKR 2,457
$11.38฿379
-34.71%
Apples(1kg)
$6.87LKR 2,271
$2.98฿99.3
130.54%
Banana(1kg)
$0.88LKR 292
$1.68฿56.1
-47.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.25LKR 1,406
$2.21฿73.5
92.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.30LKR 428
$2.16฿72.0
-39.81%
Potato(1kg)
$0.98LKR 325
$1.52฿50.8
-35.53%
Onion(1kg)
$0.76LKR 252
$1.34฿44.55
-43.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.95LKR 314
$1.13฿37.57
-15.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48LKR 160
$0.55฿18.19
-12.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.50LKR 3,471
$4.26฿142
146.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.84LKR 4,578
$19.09฿635
-27.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00LKR 661
$1.78฿59.2
12.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78LKR 921
$2.78฿92.6
-
🚌 Getting Around
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.35LKR 115
$2.23฿74.2
-84.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿757
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.38LKR 127
$3.03฿101
-87.46%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.29LKR 95.3
$1.02฿34.06
-71.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.89LKR 294
$3.89฿130
-77.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34LKR 443
$1.49฿49.63
-10.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8KLKR 12.5M
$26.6K฿884.9K
42.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.0KLKR 13.6M
$27.0K฿899.8K
51.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$54.1LKR 17.9K
$102฿3,411
-47.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.22LKR 1,397
$11.33฿377
-62.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.81LKR 6,881
$17.40฿579
19.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$52.1฿1,734
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿369
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.32LKR 1,429
$7.69฿256
-43.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$37.80LKR 12.5K
$561฿18.7K
-93.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,234LKR 408.2K
$11.5K฿383.0K
-89.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.90LKR 6,581
$63.0฿2,098
-68.43%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.80LKR 5,556
$29.52฿983
-43.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.0LKR 26.8K
$98.0฿3,263
-17.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$43.20LKR 14.3K
$88.5฿2,946
-51.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$106LKR 34.9K
$738฿24.6K
-85.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$76.8LKR 25.4K
$482฿16.1K
-84.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$261LKR 86.2K
$2,107฿70.1K
-87.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$179LKR 59.2K
$1,226฿40.8K
-85.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,617฿120.4K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,603฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$300LKR 99.1K
$494฿16.4K
-39.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.69
5.57
127.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Piliyandala: September 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $106 in Piliyandala and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 65% 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: $12.00 in Piliyandala vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $274 per month, with Piliyandala 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
Piliyandala vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Piliyandala?
Piliyandala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Piliyandala or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 65% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Piliyandala and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $106 in Piliyandala versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $37.80 in Piliyandala versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Piliyandala or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Piliyandala – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Piliyandala or in Phuket?
At $575 in Piliyandala versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Piliyandala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Piliyandala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Piliyandala or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Piliyandala 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.
Which city is safer, Piliyandala or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Piliyandala and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Piliyandala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Piliyandala vs other spots: cost of living compared