Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: $491 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka
Phuket, Thailand
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$491
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $491 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $491
  • Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $795 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $795
  • Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $1,100 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia $1,100
  • Phuket $3,115

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia is about 62% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 64% lower, Phuket 4% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.47 LKR 488
$4.39 ฿147
-66.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.34 LKR 8,097
$32.31 ฿1,085
-24.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.55 LKR 2,512
$8.70 ฿292
-13.22%
Cappuccino
$2.52 LKR 837
$2.72 ฿91.5
-7.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 LKR 238
$0.93 ฿31.25
-22.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 LKR 82.2
$0.50 ฿16.78
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.16 LKR 718
$2.53 ฿85.0
-14.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 LKR 1,026
$3.63 ฿122
-14.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 LKR 524
$1.74 ฿58.4
-9.20%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 LKR 175
$1.45 ฿48.73
-63.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 272
$1.50 ฿50.5
-45.33%
Eggs
$1.65 LKR 550
$2.17 ฿73.0
-23.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.22 LKR 5,063
$19.09 ฿641
-20.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.86 LKR 1,617
$3.40 ฿114
42.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.69 LKR 2,559
$10.90 ฿366
-29.45%
Apples (1kg)
$6.73 LKR 2,239
$2.94 ฿98.8
128.91%
Banana (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 272
$1.69 ฿56.8
-51.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.08 LKR 1,357
$2.19 ฿73.7
86.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.34 LKR 445
$2.12 ฿71.4
-36.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 LKR 345
$1.46 ฿48.99
-28.77%
Onion (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 273
$1.37 ฿45.95
-40.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.21 LKR 401
$1.08 ฿36.14
12.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42 LKR 141
$0.55 ฿18.32
-23.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.40 LKR 3,461
$4.43 ฿149
134.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.45 LKR 4,473
$18.25 ฿613
-26.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91 LKR 635
$1.77 ฿59.5
7.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 LKR 955
$2.88 ฿96.8
-0.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿48.62
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$54.9 ฿1,844
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 LKR 125
$1.51 ฿50.8
-74.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 LKR 110
$0.78 ฿26.06
-57.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$0.94 LKR 311
$3.84 ฿129
-75.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.32 LKR 437
$1.49 ฿49.96
-11.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.9K LKR 14.3M
$26.9K ฿902.9K
59.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.8K LKR 15.2M
$26.3K ฿884.9K
73.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$58.0 LKR 19.3K
$97.8 ฿3,285
-40.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.26 LKR 1,418
$11.29 ฿379
-62.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.55 LKR 6,835
$17.19 ฿577
19.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$68.3 ฿2,295
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.92 ฿367
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.40 LKR 1,464
$7.43 ฿250
-40.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$40.73 LKR 13.5K
$530 ฿17.8K
-92.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K LKR 5.7M
$18.8K ฿630.9K
-8.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.26 LKR 6,075
$61.7 ฿2,072
-70.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.08 LKR 5,682
$28.25 ฿949
-39.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.6 LKR 26.1K
$96.0 ฿3,225
-18.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.86 LKR 13.6K
$86.8 ฿2,916
-52.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$721 ฿24.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$509 ฿17.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$451 LKR 149.9K
$1,950 ฿65.5K
-76.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,397 ฿46.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,192 ฿140.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,298 ฿110.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$492 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.5
5.57
124.42%

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

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
$242
Phuket
$267 10.1% $24
Eating Out
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
$85
Phuket
$120 40% $34
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
$83
Phuket
$126 52.5% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
$70
Phuket
$123 76.2% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
$8.8 *
Phuket
$83 845% $74
Getting Around
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
$2 *
Phuket
$66 3155% $64
Accommodation & Living
Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
- *
Phuket
$509

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $267 – making Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇱🇰 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
10:52 10:52 AM
12:22 12:22 PM
1 h 30 min ahead of Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
219,827
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 374 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.67 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Phuket 2,050 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia or Phuket?
Phuket costs about 163% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $737 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $1,940 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $24 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia or in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia or in Phuket?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $491, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $491 versus $1,294 in Phuket. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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