Cost of Living Comparison Between Dambulla and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dambulla and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $533 per month in Dambulla vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $863 per month in Dambulla vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,193 per month in Dambulla vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Dambulla is about 58% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dambulla and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Dambulla 60% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,240

$4.66 ฿150

-15.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.98 LKR 7,906

$46.44 ฿1,496

-46.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 LKR 2,701

$8.68 ฿280

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 846

$2.95 ฿95.0

-9.49%

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

$0.68 LKR 215

$0.70 ฿22.52

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 118

$0.39 ฿12.70

-5.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 730

$2.53 ฿81.6

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 LKR 1,030

$3.78 ฿122

-14.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 539

$2.22 ฿71.5

-23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 178

$1.80 ฿57.8

-68.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 275

$2.19 ฿70.4

-60.27%

Eggs

$2.20 LKR 696

$2.31 ฿74.5

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.12 LKR 4,470

$19.34 ฿623

-26.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 LKR 1,516

$3.77 ฿121

27.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 LKR 2,613

$13.22 ฿426

-37.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.37 LKR 2,334

$3.33 ฿107

121.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 339

$1.65 ฿53.1

-35.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.82 LKR 1,841

$2.29 ฿73.7

154.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 378

$1.99 ฿64.1

-39.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 349

$1.53 ฿49.24

-28.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 LKR 452

$1.51 ฿48.77

-5.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 381

$1.03 ฿33.12

16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 179

$0.51 ฿16.57

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,164

$4.41 ฿142

126.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 LKR 3,939

$19.41 ฿625

-35.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 642

$1.80 ฿58.0

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 942

$2.68 ฿86.4

11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 LKR 32.08

$1.43 ฿46.11

-93.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 122

$3.04 ฿97.9

-87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$1.04 ฿33.37

-68.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 191

$13.68 ฿441

-95.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 381

$1.30 ฿41.85

-7.69%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-5.18%

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

$35.1K LKR 11.1M

$33.0K ฿1.1M

6.22%

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

$60.8 LKR 19.2K

$123 ฿3,962

-50.58%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,350

$13.82 ฿445

-69.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,703

$18.86 ฿608

-21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,037

$8.87 ฿286

-63.02%

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

$37.36 LKR 11.8K

$696 ฿22.4K

-94.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 141.2K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-97.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.46 LKR 8,691

$59.3 ฿1,910

-53.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.70 LKR 6,234

$34.85 ฿1,123

-43.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 LKR 22.3K

$113 ฿3,646

-37.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.78 LKR 12.3K

$85.1 ฿2,740

-54.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

5.33

208.63%

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

Last update for Dambulla: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Dambulla versus $615 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Dambulla versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $291 – making Dambulla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dambulla vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $533 in Dambulla, $1,270 in Phuket – roughly 138% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $799 per month in Dambulla and $1,904 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Dambulla and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dambulla, where all-in costs run around $533, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Dambulla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $533 in Dambulla to $1,270 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dambulla. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.