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: $484 in Ratnapura versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $779 in Ratnapura versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,073 in Ratnapura versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Ratnapura costs roughly 61% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ratnapura 65% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 LKR 641

$4.41 ฿147

-56.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.13 LKR 3,023

$32.26 ฿1,077

-71.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 LKR 2,043

$8.93 ฿298

-30.91%

Cappuccino

$2.12 LKR 701

$2.90 ฿96.6

-26.90%

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

$0.74 LKR 244

$0.88 ฿29.38

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 157

$0.48 ฿16.06

-2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 LKR 669

$2.35 ฿78.5

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 LKR 898

$3.72 ฿124

-27.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 LKR 601

$1.87 ฿62.3

-3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 LKR 256

$1.47 ฿48.94

-47.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 LKR 203

$1.55 ฿51.8

-60.65%

Eggs

$1.08 LKR 358

$2.10 ฿70.1

-48.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.01 LKR 4,969

$19.59 ฿654

-23.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 LKR 2,089

$3.42 ฿114

84.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.81 LKR 5,236

$11.38 ฿380

38.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 LKR 1,456

$2.98 ฿99.6

47.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.68 ฿56.2

-54.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,409

$2.21 ฿73.7

92.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 333

$2.16 ฿72.1

-53.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 352

$1.52 ฿50.9

-30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 LKR 477

$1.34 ฿44.67

7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 LKR 158

$1.13 ฿37.67

-57.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$0.55 ฿18.24

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.12 LKR 4,345

$4.26 ฿142

207.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 LKR 4,225

$19.09 ฿637

-33.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 677

$1.78 ฿59.4

14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 969

$2.78 ฿92.9

5.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 LKR 117

$2.23 ฿74.4

-84.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$3.03 ฿101

-87.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 LKR 157

$1.02 ฿34.15

-53.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 LKR 322

$1.49 ฿49.77

-34.90%

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

$19.9K LKR 6.6M

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-24.97%

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

$19.8K LKR 6.6M

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-26.63%

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

$102 ฿3,420

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

$2.13 LKR 705

$11.33 ฿378

-81.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.40 LKR 2,452

$17.40 ฿581

-57.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.04 LKR 2,991

$52.1 ฿1,738

-82.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$2.39 LKR 792

$7.69 ฿257

-68.92%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.50 LKR 3,476

$63.0 ฿2,104

-83.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.79 LKR 2,580

$29.52 ฿986

-73.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 LKR 28.1K

$98.0 ฿3,272

-13.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.60 LKR 8,475

$88.5 ฿2,954

-71.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 LKR 25.1K

$738 ฿24.6K

-89.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.8 LKR 17.8K

$482 ฿16.1K

-88.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.0 LKR 28.8K

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-92.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 LKR 55.5K

$494 ฿16.5K

-66.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Ratnapura: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Ratnapura and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 195% 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: $9.00 in Ratnapura vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $274 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 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 195% 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: $75.8 in Ratnapura versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% 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 $9.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $484 in Ratnapura versus $1,232 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 154% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.