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: $519 in Ragama versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $861 in Ragama versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,203 in Ragama versus $3,248 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 61% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 LKR 1,363

$4.48 ฿150

-9.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.91 LKR 8,346

$45.59 ฿1,525

-45.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 LKR 2,850

$8.76 ฿293

-2.85%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 880

$2.97 ฿99.3

-11.45%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$0.69 ฿22.96

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.39 ฿13.07

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 777

$2.53 ฿84.7

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,112

$3.75 ฿125

-11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 528

$2.15 ฿71.8

-26.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 189

$1.82 ฿60.7

-69.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 243

$2.18 ฿73.1

-66.51%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 706

$2.25 ฿75.2

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 LKR 4,765

$20.00 ฿669

-28.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 LKR 1,523

$3.63 ฿121

25.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 LKR 2,747

$13.56 ฿453

-39.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 LKR 2,482

$3.24 ฿109

128.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 376

$1.64 ฿54.7

-31.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.81 LKR 1,948

$2.33 ฿78.0

149.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 416

$2.07 ฿69.3

-40.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 388

$1.55 ฿51.8

-25.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 416

$1.46 ฿48.67

-15.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 386

$0.98 ฿32.94

17.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 186

$0.48 ฿16.13

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,373

$4.35 ฿146

131.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,167

$18.57 ฿621

-33.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 705

$1.86 ฿62.1

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 999

$2.65 ฿88.8

12.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 129

$3.17 ฿106

-88.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$1.03 ฿34.51

-66.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$13.89 ฿465

-95.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.34 ฿44.96

-5.97%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-5.51%

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

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

2.32%

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

$59.4 LKR 19.9K

$123 ฿4,116

-51.71%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,437

$13.77 ฿461

-68.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.96 LKR 5,013

$18.33 ฿613

-18.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 LKR 1,127

$8.87 ฿297

-62.12%

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

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

$688 ฿23.0K

-94.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 149.1K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-97.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.07 LKR 9,070

$59.3 ฿1,984

-54.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,467

$34.69 ฿1,160

-44.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 LKR 23.3K

$115 ฿3,853

-39.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

$83.8 ฿2,802

-53.20%

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 ฿68.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

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 Ragama: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Ragama vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $291 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 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $779 in Ragama 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 $37.47 in Ragama 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 Ragama – 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 $519 in Ragama versus $1,264 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 144% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.