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: $534 in Ratnapura versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $858 in Ratnapura versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,183 in Ratnapura versus $3,248 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 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 LKR 735

$4.48 ฿150

-51.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.13 LKR 3,398

$45.59 ฿1,521

-77.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 LKR 2,287

$8.76 ฿292

-22.26%

Cappuccino

$2.37 LKR 797

$2.97 ฿99.0

-20.20%

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

$0.87 LKR 291

$0.69 ฿22.90

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 164

$0.39 ฿13.04

25.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 LKR 713

$2.53 ฿84.4

-16.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 988

$3.75 ฿125

-21.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LKR 662

$2.15 ฿71.6

-8.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 LKR 271

$1.82 ฿60.6

-55.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 242

$2.18 ฿72.9

-66.97%

Eggs

$1.24 LKR 417

$2.25 ฿75.0

-44.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.47 LKR 5,527

$20.00 ฿667

-17.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 LKR 2,338

$3.63 ฿121

92.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.18 LKR 5,766

$13.56 ฿452

26.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 LKR 1,563

$3.24 ฿108

43.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 260

$1.64 ฿54.6

-53.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,603

$2.33 ฿77.8

105.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 355

$2.07 ฿69.1

-48.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 377

$1.55 ฿51.6

-27.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 LKR 502

$1.46 ฿48.54

2.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.98 ฿32.86

-46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 175

$0.48 ฿16.09

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.29 LKR 4,794

$4.35 ฿145

228.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.44 LKR 4,175

$18.57 ฿620

-33.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 LKR 773

$1.86 ฿61.9

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 LKR 1,077

$2.65 ฿88.6

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 138

$1.42 ฿47.28

-71.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 139

$3.17 ฿106

-87.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 177

$1.03 ฿34.41

-48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.35 LKR 116

$13.89 ฿463

-97.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 LKR 361

$1.34 ฿44.84

-19.40%

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

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-21.52%

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

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-36.16%

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

$123 ฿4,105

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

$2.26 LKR 757

$13.77 ฿459

-83.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.88 LKR 2,645

$18.33 ฿611

-57.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 LKR 3,389

$60.7 ฿2,025

-83.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$2.71 LKR 910

$8.87 ฿296

-69.45%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.60 LKR 3,893

$59.3 ฿1,978

-80.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.24 LKR 2,766

$34.69 ฿1,157

-76.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

$115 ฿3,843

-18.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.63 LKR 9,606

$83.8 ฿2,794

-65.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

$621 ฿20.7K

-86.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

$446 ฿14.9K

-86.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-93.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 LKR 57.0K

$494 ฿16.5K

-65.61%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $82.1 in Ratnapura and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 191% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $291 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, salaries run 191% lower in Phuket. 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: $82.1 in Ratnapura versus $621 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $534 in Ratnapura versus $1,264 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.