Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Galle and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $453 in Galle versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $741 in Galle versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,029 in Galle versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Galle costs roughly 63% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Galle 67% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 LKR 510

$4.41 ฿147

-65.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.87 LKR 7,891

$32.26 ฿1,074

-26.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 LKR 2,473

$8.93 ฿297

-16.24%

Cappuccino

$1.77 LKR 586

$2.90 ฿96.4

-38.97%

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

$0.70 LKR 230

$0.88 ฿29.30

-20.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.3

$0.48 ฿16.01

-47.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 LKR 409

$2.35 ฿78.3

-47.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 LKR 494

$3.72 ฿124

-59.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 537

$1.87 ฿62.1

-13.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$1.47 ฿48.81

-61.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 251

$1.55 ฿51.7

-50.97%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 521

$2.10 ฿70.0

-24.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.25 LKR 4,381

$19.59 ฿652

-32.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 LKR 1,702

$3.42 ฿114

50.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,356

$11.38 ฿379

-37.43%

Apples (1kg)

$6.59 LKR 2,179

$2.98 ฿99.3

121.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 261

$1.68 ฿56.1

-52.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 LKR 1,398

$2.21 ฿73.5

91.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 412

$2.16 ฿72.0

-42.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 325

$1.52 ฿50.8

-35.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 249

$1.34 ฿44.55

-44.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 312

$1.13 ฿37.57

-16.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.55 ฿18.19

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,424

$4.26 ฿142

143.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 LKR 2,976

$19.09 ฿635

-52.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 631

$1.78 ฿59.2

7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 LKR 944

$2.78 ฿92.6

2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 LKR 49.26

$2.23 ฿74.2

-93.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 LKR 94.4

$3.03 ฿101

-90.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 LKR 95.5

$1.02 ฿34.06

-71.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$3.89 ฿130

-77.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 428

$1.49 ฿49.63

-13.42%

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

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

$26.6K ฿884.9K

39.95%

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

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

$27.0K ฿899.8K

50.14%

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

$54.8 LKR 18.1K

$102 ฿3,411

-46.55%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,343

$11.33 ฿377

-64.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.73 LKR 6,855

$17.40 ฿579

19.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$4.40 LKR 1,455

$7.69 ฿256

-42.78%

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

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

$561 ฿18.7K

-93.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 LKR 399.7K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-89.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.18 LKR 6,672

$63.0 ฿2,098

-67.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.66 LKR 5,508

$29.52 ฿983

-43.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 LKR 26.1K

$98.0 ฿3,263

-19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.03 LKR 14.2K

$88.5 ฿2,946

-51.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$315 LKR 104.1K

$494 ฿16.4K

-36.19%

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 Galle: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 57% 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: $24.00 in Galle vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $274 per month, with Galle 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

Galle vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 57% 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.

Childcare runs $37.80 in Galle versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $453 in Galle versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Galle but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Galle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Galle 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, Galle 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 Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.