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: $500 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $830 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,161 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,876 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 63% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.29 LKR 1,418

$4.41 ฿147

-2.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 LKR 8,542

$32.26 ฿1,074

-19.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 LKR 2,588

$8.93 ฿297

-12.32%

Cappuccino

$2.47 LKR 816

$2.90 ฿96.4

-14.83%

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

$0.73 LKR 241

$0.88 ฿29.30

-17.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.6

$0.48 ฿16.01

-47.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 724

$2.35 ฿78.3

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,024

$3.72 ฿124

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 LKR 516

$1.87 ฿62.1

-16.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.47 ฿48.81

-63.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.55 ฿51.7

-47.74%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 543

$2.10 ฿70.0

-21.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 LKR 4,315

$19.59 ฿652

-33.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 LKR 1,694

$3.42 ฿114

49.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,444

$11.38 ฿379

-35.06%

Apples (1kg)

$6.87 LKR 2,270

$2.98 ฿99.3

130.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 292

$1.68 ฿56.1

-47.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 LKR 1,389

$2.21 ฿73.5

90.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$2.16 ฿72.0

-42.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 335

$1.52 ฿50.8

-33.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.34 ฿44.55

-43.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 LKR 308

$1.13 ฿37.57

-17.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$0.55 ฿18.19

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.43 LKR 3,447

$4.26 ฿142

144.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 LKR 4,550

$19.09 ฿635

-27.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 630

$1.78 ฿59.2

7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 937

$2.78 ฿92.6

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$3.03 ฿101

-86.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$1.02 ฿34.06

-62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 305

$3.89 ฿130

-76.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 LKR 423

$1.49 ฿49.63

-14.09%

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

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

$26.6K ฿884.9K

16.87%

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

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

$27.0K ฿899.8K

55.19%

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

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

$102 ฿3,411

-46.77%

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

$4.09 LKR 1,351

$11.33 ฿377

-63.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.14 LKR 6,990

$17.40 ฿579

21.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 LKR 1,505

$7.69 ฿256

-40.83%

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

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

$561 ฿18.7K

-93.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-89.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 LKR 6,710

$63.0 ฿2,098

-67.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.85 LKR 5,570

$29.52 ฿983

-42.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

$98.0 ฿3,263

-18.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

$88.5 ฿2,946

-52.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Polonnaruwa vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $274 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 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $750 in Polonnaruwa and $1,847 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 $38.55 in Polonnaruwa versus $561 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 $26.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $500 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,232 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 146% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.