Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Polonnaruwa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $518 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $855 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,192 in Polonnaruwa versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Polonnaruwa costs roughly 59% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Polonnaruwa 61% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 LKR 1,338

$4.48 ฿150

-10.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 LKR 8,434

$45.59 ฿1,523

-44.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 LKR 2,792

$8.76 ฿292

-4.91%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 895

$2.97 ฿99.1

-10.10%

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$0.69 ฿22.93

-1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.39 ฿13.05

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 768

$2.53 ฿84.5

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,130

$3.75 ฿125

-10.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 576

$2.15 ฿71.7

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 177

$1.82 ฿60.6

-70.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 275

$2.18 ฿73.0

-62.39%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 720

$2.25 ฿75.1

-4.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 LKR 4,807

$20.00 ฿668

-28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,558

$3.63 ฿121

28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 LKR 2,638

$13.56 ฿453

-41.96%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,495

$3.24 ฿108

129.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 360

$1.64 ฿54.6

-34.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.72 LKR 1,916

$2.33 ฿77.9

145.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 407

$2.07 ฿69.2

-41.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 390

$1.55 ฿51.7

-25.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 477

$1.46 ฿48.60

-2.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 401

$0.98 ฿32.89

22.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.48 ฿16.11

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 LKR 3,345

$4.35 ฿145

129.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.40 LKR 4,158

$18.57 ฿620

-33.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 677

$1.86 ฿62.0

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 991

$2.65 ฿88.7

11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$3.17 ฿106

-87.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$1.03 ฿34.46

-67.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$13.89 ฿464

-95.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 400

$1.34 ฿44.89

-11.19%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

$27.8K ฿928.2K

-4.59%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

5.99%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

$123 ฿4,110

-50.73%

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

$4.20 LKR 1,409

$13.77 ฿460

-69.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 LKR 5,155

$18.33 ฿612

-16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,027

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 LKR 1,131

$8.87 ฿296

-62.01%

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

$37.12 LKR 12.4K

$688 ฿23.0K

-94.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 146.0K

$15.8K ฿527.0K

-97.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.64 LKR 9,269

$59.3 ฿1,981

-53.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.24 LKR 6,451

$34.69 ฿1,159

-44.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

$115 ฿3,847

-39.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.58 LKR 12.9K

$83.8 ฿2,798

-53.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

5.33

208.63%

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

Last update for Polonnaruwa: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Polonnaruwa vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $291 per month, with Polonnaruwa 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

Polonnaruwa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Polonnaruwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $776 in Polonnaruwa and $1,896 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $37.12 in Polonnaruwa versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Polonnaruwa – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $518 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Polonnaruwa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Polonnaruwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Polonnaruwa 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, Polonnaruwa 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.

Expats usually find Polonnaruwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.