Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Piliyandala and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Piliyandala: $580 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Piliyandala, Sri Lanka
Phuket, Thailand
Piliyandala
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$580
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Piliyandala and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Piliyandala and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $580 in Piliyandala versus $1,294 in Phuket.

  • Piliyandala $580
  • Phuket $1,294

Estimated couple costs with rent: $917 in Piliyandala versus $2,204 in Phuket.

  • Piliyandala $917
  • Phuket $2,204

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,253 in Piliyandala versus $3,115 in Phuket.

  • Piliyandala $1,253
  • Phuket $3,115

Living in Piliyandala costs roughly 55% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Piliyandala 57% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.06 LKR 1,017
$4.39 ฿147
-30.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.26 LKR 4,078
$32.31 ฿1,085
-62.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.64 LKR 2,541
$8.70 ฿292
-12.18%
Cappuccino
$2.57 LKR 856
$2.72 ฿91.5
-5.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 LKR 243
$0.93 ฿31.25
-21.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 LKR 90.6
$0.50 ฿16.78
-46.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 LKR 749
$2.53 ฿85.0
-11.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 LKR 1,014
$3.63 ฿122
-15.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 LKR 526
$1.74 ฿58.4
-9.20%
White Bread (500g)
$0.56 LKR 187
$1.45 ฿48.73
-61.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.81 LKR 268
$1.50 ฿50.5
-46.00%
Eggs
$1.71 LKR 568
$2.17 ฿73.0
-21.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.09 LKR 5,019
$19.09 ฿641
-20.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.94 LKR 1,643
$3.40 ฿114
45.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.65 LKR 2,544
$10.90 ฿366
-29.82%
Apples (1kg)
$6.52 LKR 2,168
$2.94 ฿98.8
121.77%
Banana (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 273
$1.69 ฿56.8
-51.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 LKR 1,420
$2.19 ฿73.7
94.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.28 LKR 424
$2.12 ฿71.4
-39.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.07 LKR 357
$1.46 ฿48.99
-26.71%
Onion (1kg)
$0.83 LKR 275
$1.37 ฿45.95
-39.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 LKR 415
$1.08 ฿36.14
15.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 LKR 150
$0.55 ฿18.32
-18.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.38 LKR 3,452
$4.43 ฿149
134.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.32 LKR 4,430
$18.25 ฿613
-27.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.87 LKR 623
$1.77 ฿59.5
5.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 LKR 971
$2.88 ฿96.8
1.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 LKR 123
$1.45 ฿48.62
-74.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.9 ฿1,844
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.41 LKR 136
$1.51 ฿50.8
-72.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 LKR 105
$0.78 ฿26.06
-60.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 LKR 291
$3.84 ฿129
-77.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 LKR 445
$1.49 ฿49.96
-10.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.9K LKR 14.3M
$26.9K ฿902.9K
59.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$46.2K LKR 15.4M
$26.3K ฿884.9K
75.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.9 LKR 18.6K
$97.8 ฿3,285
-42.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.25 LKR 1,413
$11.29 ฿379
-62.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.79 LKR 6,914
$17.19 ฿577
20.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$68.3 ฿2,295
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.92 ฿367
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.48 LKR 1,491
$7.43 ฿250
-39.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$40.91 LKR 13.6K
$530 ฿17.8K
-92.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.2K LKR 5.7M
$18.8K ฿630.9K
-8.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$17.85 LKR 5,937
$61.7 ฿2,072
-71.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.46 LKR 5,806
$28.25 ฿949
-38.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 LKR 25.9K
$96.0 ฿3,225
-18.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.22 LKR 13.7K
$86.8 ฿2,916
-52.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$107 LKR 35.6K
$721 ฿24.2K
-85.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$75.2 LKR 25.0K
$509 ฿17.1K
-85.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$253 LKR 84.0K
$1,950 ฿65.5K
-87.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$181 LKR 60.1K
$1,397 ฿46.9K
-87.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,192 ฿140.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,298 ฿110.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Piliyandala
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$302 LKR 100.3K
$492 ฿16.5K
-38.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.5
5.57
124.42%

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

Last update for Piliyandala: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Piliyandala
$243
Phuket
$267 10% $24
Eating Out
Piliyandala
$100
Phuket
$120 20% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Piliyandala
$81
Phuket
$126 56.1% $45
Accommodation & Living
Piliyandala
$75
Phuket
$509 577% $434
Clothing & Footwear
Piliyandala
$70
Phuket
$123 76.6% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Piliyandala
$9 *
Phuket
$83 827% $74
Getting Around
Piliyandala
$3.5 *
Phuket
$66 1810% $63

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $107 in Piliyandala and $721 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 63% 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 in Piliyandala vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $267 per month, with Piliyandala cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Piliyandala
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
12:43 12:43 PM
14:13 2:13 PM
1 h 30 min ahead of Piliyandala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 374 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Piliyandala Phuket 2,040 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Piliyandala
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Piliyandala cheaper than Phuket?
Piliyandala is about 55% cheaper overall, especially in leisure, transport, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Piliyandala or Phuket?
On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Piliyandala. 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: $107 in Piliyandala versus $721 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $41 in Piliyandala versus $530 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 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Piliyandala or in Phuket?
At $580 in Piliyandala versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,200 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 it better to live in Piliyandala or in Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Piliyandala or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Piliyandala and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Piliyandala wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Piliyandala vs other spots: cost of living compared

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