Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,572 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs roughly 42% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.12 LKR 1,368

$4.70 ฿153

-12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.76 LKR 8,211

$45.37 ฿1,482

-45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 LKR 2,811

$8.43 ฿275

0.59%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 884

$2.93 ฿95.6

-8.87%

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

$0.75 LKR 247

$0.69 ฿22.40

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.37 ฿11.99

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 757

$2.41 ฿78.6

-5.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,092

$3.72 ฿122

-11.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 LKR 497

$2.23 ฿72.9

-32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$1.83 ฿59.8

-71.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$2.17 ฿70.8

-60.83%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 705

$2.21 ฿72.3

-3.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.28 LKR 3,410

$19.74 ฿645

-47.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,507

$3.63 ฿119

25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,940

$13.53 ฿442

-56.76%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 LKR 2,046

$3.28 ฿107

88.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.61 ฿52.6

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 LKR 1,894

$2.41 ฿78.6

136.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 415

$2.08 ฿68.1

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 334

$1.53 ฿49.93

-33.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 309

$1.48 ฿48.36

-37.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$0.99 ฿32.29

15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 LKR 166

$0.51 ฿16.67

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 LKR 2,805

$4.41 ฿144

91.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 LKR 4,167

$19.38 ฿633

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 LKR 486

$1.78 ฿58.1

-17.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 LKR 600

$2.71 ฿88.6

-33.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 105

$1.37 ฿44.79

-76.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.23 LKR 3,392

$11.39 ฿372

-10.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 114

$3.02 ฿98.6

-88.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.99 ฿32.48

-64.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 145

$14.10 ฿461

-96.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 LKR 419

$1.36 ฿44.51

-6.62%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-3.49%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

4.51%

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

$30.64 LKR 10.2K

$122 ฿3,975

-74.82%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,399

$13.57 ฿443

-68.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,943

$18.31 ฿598

-18.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.06 LKR 6,984

$60.2 ฿1,967

-65.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$3.42 LKR 1,135

$8.69 ฿284

-60.64%

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

$36.74 LKR 12.2K

$693 ฿22.6K

-94.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 143.6K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-97.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,290

$59.5 ฿1,944

-52.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.05 LKR 6,317

$34.77 ฿1,136

-45.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 22.9K

$115 ฿3,743

-39.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.31 LKR 12.7K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-54.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 LKR 111.0K

$613 ฿20.0K

-45.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 LKR 84.1K

$437 ฿14.3K

-41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 LKR 169.8K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-75.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 LKR 138.5K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-72.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$686 LKR 227.4K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-81.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$528 LKR 175.1K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-79.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 LKR 100.3K

$508 ฿16.6K

-40.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

181.43%

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

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 68% 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: $25.00 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $293 per month, with Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 68% 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: $335 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.74 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 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 Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.