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: $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,086 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,454 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 48% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$4.56 ฿150

-4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.79 LKR 8,133

$32.62 ฿1,072

-24.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 LKR 2,473

$8.90 ฿293

-15.28%

Cappuccino

$2.51 LKR 823

$2.80 ฿92.2

-10.36%

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

$0.68 LKR 224

$0.88 ฿28.93

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$0.49 ฿16.08

-48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 720

$2.39 ฿78.5

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$3.71 ฿122

-16.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 430

$1.79 ฿58.7

-26.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 186

$1.44 ฿47.38

-60.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 LKR 227

$1.58 ฿52.1

-56.33%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 524

$2.13 ฿69.9

-24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 LKR 4,368

$19.92 ฿655

-33.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,438

$3.43 ฿113

27.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.31 LKR 1,742

$11.33 ฿372

-53.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 LKR 2,050

$2.95 ฿96.9

111.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.72 ฿56.6

-48.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,415

$2.32 ฿76.4

85.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 390

$2.08 ฿68.4

-42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 LKR 306

$1.47 ฿48.33

-36.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.36 ฿44.64

-44.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LKR 293

$1.10 ฿36.12

-19.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.57 ฿18.89

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 LKR 3,017

$4.27 ฿140

115.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,093

$18.42 ฿605

-32.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 630

$1.87 ฿61.5

2.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 923

$2.92 ฿96.0

-3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$3.03 ฿99.6

-89.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 122

$1.07 ฿35.31

-65.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 290

$3.93 ฿129

-77.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 LKR 379

$1.49 ฿49.04

-22.15%

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

$30.9K LKR 10.1M

$27.1K ฿891.7K

14.04%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$27.5K ฿902.3K

52.96%

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

$45.15 LKR 14.8K

$103 ฿3,379

-56.08%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,408

$10.99 ฿361

-60.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.22 LKR 4,009

$17.51 ฿576

-30.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.98 LKR 4,915

$53.5 ฿1,760

-72.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 LKR 1,017

$7.48 ฿246

-58.56%

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

$38.65 LKR 12.7K

$557 ฿18.3K

-93.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$896 LKR 293.9K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-92.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.93 LKR 6,540

$64.1 ฿2,106

-68.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 LKR 5,438

$29.07 ฿956

-43.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 LKR 25.8K

$96.0 ฿3,154

-17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 LKR 13.7K

$90.3 ฿2,970

-53.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.8K

$730 ฿24.0K

-57.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 LKR 74.8K

$500 ฿16.4K

-54.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 LKR 146.9K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-78.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 LKR 126.5K

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-68.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$671 LKR 220.0K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-81.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$542 LKR 177.9K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-78.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 LKR 101.4K

$503 ฿16.5K

-38.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 63% 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 $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $273 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 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 63% 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: $307 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.65 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $718 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte versus $1,253 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 74% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.