Cost of Living Comparison Between Ragama and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ragama and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $515 in Ragama versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $835 in Ragama versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,154 in Ragama versus $2,913 in Phuket.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Ragama 63% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 LKR 1,448

$4.66 ฿154

-5.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.20 LKR 8,610

$32.22 ฿1,065

-18.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 LKR 2,509

$8.68 ฿287

-11.98%

Cappuccino

$2.54 LKR 834

$2.90 ฿95.8

-12.41%

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

$0.69 LKR 226

$0.84 ฿27.89

-17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 88.7

$0.49 ฿16.16

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 740

$2.48 ฿82.0

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,026

$3.73 ฿123

-16.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 LKR 468

$1.89 ฿62.3

-24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 166

$1.41 ฿46.54

-63.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 226

$1.62 ฿53.6

-57.41%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 546

$2.24 ฿74.1

-25.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 LKR 4,324

$19.84 ฿656

-33.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 LKR 1,622

$3.48 ฿115

41.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 LKR 2,376

$11.37 ฿376

-36.41%

Apples (1kg)

$6.71 LKR 2,206

$2.90 ฿95.8

131.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 LKR 294

$1.72 ฿57.0

-48.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 LKR 1,420

$2.27 ฿75.1

90.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 408

$2.13 ฿70.4

-41.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 343

$1.47 ฿48.72

-29.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 262

$1.42 ฿46.92

-43.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$1.10 ฿36.25

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 151

$0.60 ฿19.76

-23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 LKR 3,435

$4.31 ฿142

142.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 LKR 4,457

$18.60 ฿615

-27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 656

$1.80 ฿59.5

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 909

$2.97 ฿98.0

-6.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$3.10 ฿102

-87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$1.08 ฿35.56

-63.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 LKR 303

$3.87 ฿128

-76.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 443

$1.43 ฿47.16

-5.59%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

7.85%

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

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

54.38%

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

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

$105 ฿3,462

-48.13%

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

$4.16 LKR 1,366

$11.39 ฿376

-63.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.62 LKR 6,776

$17.54 ฿580

17.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LKR 1,477

$7.78 ฿257

-42.29%

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

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

$576 ฿19.0K

-93.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-89.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.02 LKR 6,577

$63.6 ฿2,103

-68.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.51 LKR 5,424

$29.10 ฿961

-43.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

$96.2 ฿3,179

-17.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

$90.0 ฿2,974

-53.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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 Ragama: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Ragama vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $275 per month, with Ragama 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

Ragama vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ragama 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 $773 in Ragama and $1,898 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 $38.72 in Ragama versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ragama – 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 $515 in Ragama versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ragama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ragama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ragama 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, Ragama 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 Ragama 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.