Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $531 in Ratnapura versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $838 in Ratnapura versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,145 in Ratnapura versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Ratnapura costs roughly 58% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 LKR 737

$4.56 ฿149

-51.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.19 LKR 3,399

$46.63 ฿1,519

-78.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 LKR 2,184

$8.47 ฿276

-22.67%

Cappuccino

$2.40 LKR 800

$3.03 ฿98.6

-20.79%

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

$0.80 LKR 267

$0.69 ฿22.45

15.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.37 ฿11.92

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 706

$2.49 ฿81.0

-14.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 LKR 1,008

$3.66 ฿119

-17.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 LKR 661

$2.18 ฿71.0

-9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 LKR 277

$1.90 ฿62.0

-56.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 239

$2.20 ฿71.6

-67.27%

Eggs

$1.19 LKR 399

$2.22 ฿72.4

-46.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.56 LKR 5,523

$19.99 ฿651

-17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 LKR 2,404

$3.66 ฿119

96.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 LKR 5,799

$13.25 ฿432

31.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,532

$3.23 ฿105

42.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 259

$1.70 ฿55.3

-54.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,583

$2.39 ฿78.0

98.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 361

$2.08 ฿67.7

-48.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 LKR 389

$1.59 ฿51.8

-26.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 LKR 528

$1.48 ฿48.31

6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.03 ฿33.54

-48.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 159

$0.52 ฿16.83

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 LKR 4,936

$4.25 ฿138

248.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 LKR 4,214

$18.79 ฿612

-32.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 LKR 771

$1.76 ฿57.2

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 LKR 1,067

$2.76 ฿89.8

15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

$1.36 ฿44.32

-69.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

$3.14 ฿102

-86.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 LKR 175

$1.04 ฿33.74

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 114

$13.77 ฿448

-97.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 LKR 356

$1.34 ฿43.79

-20.15%

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

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-20.77%

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

$21.6K LKR 7.2M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-36.25%

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

$124 ฿4,025

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

$2.26 LKR 754

$13.52 ฿440

-83.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.81 LKR 2,605

$18.69 ฿609

-58.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.22 LKR 3,410

$61.8 ฿2,013

-83.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$2.60 LKR 869

$9.14 ฿298

-71.55%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.64 LKR 3,883

$59.5 ฿1,937

-80.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.47 LKR 2,824

$35.07 ฿1,142

-75.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 LKR 31.6K

$115 ฿3,754

-17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.23 LKR 9,416

$84.1 ฿2,737

-66.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.6 LKR 27.6K

$619 ฿20.1K

-86.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

$433 ฿14.1K

-86.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$94.1 LKR 31.4K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-93.77%

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)

$165 LKR 55.0K

$507 ฿16.5K

-67.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ratnapura: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $82.6 in Ratnapura and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 207% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $10.00 in Ratnapura vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $293 per month, with Ratnapura 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

Ratnapura vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ratnapura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 207% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $82.6 in Ratnapura versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratnapura – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Ratnapura versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ratnapura but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Ratnapura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ratnapura 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, Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.