Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,223 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $855 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $2,237 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,192 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $3,251 in Phuket, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia is about 58% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 61% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,304

$4.51 ฿147

-13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 LKR 8,491

$46.62 ฿1,515

-45.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 LKR 2,732

$8.49 ฿276

-3.30%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 870

$3.08 ฿100

-15.26%

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

$0.68 LKR 228

$0.68 ฿22.07

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LKR 114

$0.36 ฿11.75

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 792

$2.43 ฿78.8

-2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,085

$3.63 ฿118

-10.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 565

$2.19 ฿71.1

-22.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.81 ฿59.0

-68.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$2.23 ฿72.5

-63.23%

Eggs

$2.16 LKR 718

$2.24 ฿72.7

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 LKR 4,736

$19.60 ฿637

-27.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 LKR 1,536

$3.72 ฿121

23.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 LKR 2,754

$13.47 ฿438

-38.60%

Apples (1kg)

$7.53 LKR 2,507

$3.36 ฿109

124.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 369

$1.62 ฿52.5

-31.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 LKR 1,960

$2.41 ฿78.3

144.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 414

$1.99 ฿64.6

-37.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 369

$1.53 ฿49.76

-27.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 459

$1.45 ฿47.19

-4.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 394

$1.01 ฿32.96

16.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 185

$0.48 ฿15.73

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,412

$4.27 ฿139

139.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 LKR 4,318

$19.12 ฿621

-32.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 696

$1.84 ฿59.7

13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 LKR 983

$2.74 ฿89.1

7.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$3.00 ฿97.6

-87.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 108

$1.05 ฿34.00

-69.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 200

$13.90 ฿452

-95.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.29 ฿41.94

-6.20%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$28.0K ฿911.1K

-3.89%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.6M

$33.5K ฿1.1M

4.33%

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

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

$122 ฿3,964

-50.86%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,407

$13.93 ฿453

-69.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 LKR 4,985

$18.87 ฿613

-20.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,092

$8.89 ฿289

-63.10%

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

$37.02 LKR 12.3K

$691 ฿22.5K

-94.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$446 LKR 148.6K

$16.2K ฿525.2K

-97.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.90 LKR 9,292

$57.8 ฿1,878

-51.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,532

$35.39 ฿1,150

-44.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 LKR 22.8K

$113 ฿3,685

-39.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.70 LKR 12.9K

$83.0 ฿2,698

-53.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$209 LKR 69.6K

$505 ฿16.4K

-58.57%

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: June 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 141% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $292 – making Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 136% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $777 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $1,835 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $47.00 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $518 versus $1,223 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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.