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: $522 in Polonnaruwa versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $863 in Polonnaruwa versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,204 in Polonnaruwa versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Polonnaruwa costs roughly 58% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Polonnaruwa 61% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 LKR 1,259

$4.63 ฿151

-14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 LKR 7,979

$46.84 ฿1,523

-46.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 LKR 2,633

$8.84 ฿287

-6.56%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 833

$3.00 ฿97.4

-12.67%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.74 ฿24.11

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 118

$0.37 ฿11.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 LKR 730

$2.44 ฿79.3

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 LKR 1,052

$3.61 ฿117

-8.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 547

$2.26 ฿73.5

-23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 178

$1.84 ฿59.8

-69.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 257

$2.24 ฿73.0

-63.84%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 696

$2.32 ฿75.3

-6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 LKR 4,444

$19.67 ฿639

-29.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 LKR 1,445

$3.65 ฿119

24.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 LKR 2,495

$13.10 ฿426

-40.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,405

$3.39 ฿110

122.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 343

$1.64 ฿53.4

-34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.95 LKR 1,895

$2.41 ฿78.5

146.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 396

$2.03 ฿66.0

-38.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 364

$1.56 ฿50.6

-26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 432

$1.50 ฿48.66

-9.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 370

$1.02 ฿33.30

13.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 192

$0.49 ฿15.91

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 LKR 3,180

$4.45 ฿145

124.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 LKR 3,984

$18.88 ฿614

-33.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 657

$1.78 ฿57.7

15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 908

$2.75 ฿89.5

3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 124

$3.12 ฿101

-87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$1.00 ฿32.48

-67.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 192

$14.09 ฿458

-95.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 LKR 395

$1.35 ฿43.93

-8.15%

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

$26.9K LKR 8.6M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-0.92%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

6.77%

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

$59.5 LKR 19.0K

$125 ฿4,063

-52.39%

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

$4.42 LKR 1,408

$13.57 ฿441

-67.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 LKR 4,804

$18.52 ฿602

-18.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,077

$9.19 ฿299

-63.22%

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

$36.48 LKR 11.6K

$698 ฿22.7K

-94.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 138.8K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-97.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.88 LKR 8,884

$57.8 ฿1,878

-51.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.48 LKR 6,208

$35.24 ฿1,146

-44.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 LKR 21.9K

$113 ฿3,677

-39.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.46 LKR 12.3K

$86.4 ฿2,808

-55.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Polonnaruwa vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $256 vs $292 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 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $783 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 $36.48 in Polonnaruwa versus $698 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $522 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 136% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.