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: $510 in Galle versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $912 in Galle versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,314 in Galle versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Galle costs roughly 59% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Galle 62% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 LKR 970

$4.63 ฿151

-34.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 LKR 7,978

$46.84 ฿1,523

-46.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 LKR 2,557

$8.84 ฿287

-9.16%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 864

$3.00 ฿97.4

-9.67%

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

$0.73 LKR 234

$0.74 ฿24.11

-1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.37 ฿11.88

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 738

$2.44 ฿79.3

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 944

$3.61 ฿117

-18.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 544

$2.26 ฿73.5

-24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 LKR 110

$1.84 ฿59.8

-80.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 277

$2.24 ฿73.0

-61.16%

Eggs

$1.90 LKR 604

$2.32 ฿75.3

-18.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 LKR 4,508

$19.67 ฿639

-28.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,528

$3.65 ฿119

31.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 LKR 2,499

$13.10 ฿426

-40.15%

Apples (1kg)

$7.51 LKR 2,394

$3.39 ฿110

121.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 282

$1.64 ฿53.4

-46.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.85 LKR 1,863

$2.41 ฿78.5

142.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 388

$2.03 ฿66.0

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 351

$1.56 ฿50.6

-29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 439

$1.50 ฿48.66

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$1.02 ฿33.30

15.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 135

$0.49 ฿15.91

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,172

$4.45 ฿145

123.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 LKR 3,088

$18.88 ฿614

-48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 636

$1.78 ฿57.7

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 923

$2.75 ฿89.5

5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 54.6

$1.40 ฿45.54

-87.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 102

$3.12 ฿101

-89.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$1.00 ฿32.48

-67.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 181

$14.09 ฿458

-95.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 388

$1.35 ฿43.93

-9.63%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-2.48%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.2M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

7.09%

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

$60.5 LKR 19.3K

$125 ฿4,063

-51.63%

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

$4.45 LKR 1,417

$13.57 ฿441

-67.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.51 LKR 4,304

$18.52 ฿602

-27.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,043

$9.19 ฿299

-64.42%

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

$36.53 LKR 11.6K

$698 ฿22.7K

-94.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 140.5K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-97.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.53 LKR 8,771

$57.8 ฿1,878

-52.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,186

$35.24 ฿1,146

-44.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.5 LKR 22.1K

$113 ฿3,677

-38.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.52 LKR 12.3K

$86.4 ฿2,808

-55.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 LKR 62.8K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-90.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 LKR 47.1K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-90.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 LKR 103.4K

$524 ฿17.0K

-38.05%

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 Galle: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 61% 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 Galle vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $292 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 142% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 61% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.53 in Galle versus $698 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 $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 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 142% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.