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: $538 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $857 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,176 in Polonnaruwa versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Polonnaruwa costs roughly 57% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Polonnaruwa 60% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 LKR 1,333

$4.56 ฿149

-12.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.54 LKR 8,518

$46.63 ฿1,519

-45.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,870

$8.47 ฿276

1.53%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 913

$3.03 ฿98.6

-9.57%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$0.69 ฿22.45

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.37 ฿11.92

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 763

$2.49 ฿81.0

-8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,130

$3.66 ฿119

-7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LKR 597

$2.18 ฿71.0

-17.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.90 ฿62.0

-72.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 285

$2.20 ฿71.6

-61.36%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 732

$2.22 ฿72.4

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.94 LKR 4,650

$19.99 ฿651

-30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 LKR 1,550

$3.66 ฿119

27.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.10 LKR 2,702

$13.25 ฿432

-38.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.54 LKR 2,514

$3.23 ฿105

133.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 354

$1.70 ฿55.3

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 LKR 1,985

$2.39 ฿78.0

148.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 415

$2.08 ฿67.7

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 387

$1.59 ฿51.8

-27.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 474

$1.48 ฿48.31

-4.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.03 ฿33.54

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.52 ฿16.83

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.23 LKR 3,411

$4.25 ฿138

140.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 4,156

$18.79 ฿612

-33.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 694

$1.76 ฿57.2

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 LKR 961

$2.76 ฿89.8

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$3.14 ฿102

-87.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 108

$1.04 ฿33.74

-69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$13.77 ฿448

-95.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.34 ฿43.79

-5.97%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-2.12%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

1.06%

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

$59.4 LKR 19.8K

$124 ฿4,025

-51.95%

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

$4.43 LKR 1,479

$13.52 ฿440

-67.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.22 LKR 5,077

$18.69 ฿609

-18.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,134

$9.14 ฿298

-62.80%

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

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

$703 ฿22.9K

-94.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 147.3K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-97.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.70 LKR 9,239

$59.5 ฿1,937

-53.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.51 LKR 6,508

$35.07 ฿1,142

-44.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

$115 ฿3,754

-39.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.00 LKR 12.7K

$84.1 ฿2,737

-54.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Polonnaruwa vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $293 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 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $807 in Polonnaruwa and $1,892 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 $37.28 in Polonnaruwa versus $703 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,261 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 135% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.