Cost of Living Comparison Between Gampaha and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Gampaha and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $495 in Gampaha versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $868 in Gampaha versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,241 in Gampaha versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Gampaha costs roughly 61% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gampaha 63% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.63 LKR 539

$4.70 ฿153

-65.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,374

$45.37 ฿1,482

-44.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 LKR 1,683

$8.43 ฿275

-39.74%

Cappuccino

$2.22 LKR 735

$2.93 ฿95.6

-24.23%

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

$0.70 LKR 232

$0.69 ฿22.40

1.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 124

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 LKR 706

$2.41 ฿78.6

-11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 545

$3.72 ฿122

-55.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 573

$2.23 ฿72.9

-22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 173

$1.83 ฿59.8

-71.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 244

$2.17 ฿70.8

-66.36%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 733

$2.21 ฿72.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,724

$19.74 ฿645

-27.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.46 LKR 1,478

$3.63 ฿119

22.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.93 LKR 2,631

$13.53 ฿442

-41.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.80 LKR 2,254

$3.28 ฿107

107.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$1.61 ฿52.6

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 LKR 1,881

$2.41 ฿78.6

135.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 414

$2.08 ฿68.1

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 354

$1.53 ฿49.93

-30.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 LKR 445

$1.48 ฿48.36

-9.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.99 ฿32.29

-64.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$0.51 ฿16.67

-25.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,314

$4.41 ฿144

126.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 LKR 4,332

$19.38 ฿633

-32.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 LKR 508

$1.78 ฿58.1

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 LKR 883

$2.71 ฿88.6

-1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 104

$1.37 ฿44.79

-77.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$3.02 ฿98.6

-89.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 107

$0.99 ฿32.48

-67.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 192

$14.10 ฿461

-95.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$1.36 ฿44.51

-11.03%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-4.03%

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

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

4.10%

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

$29.59 LKR 9,812

$122 ฿3,975

-75.69%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$13.57 ฿443

-74.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.33 LKR 4,087

$18.31 ฿598

-32.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.60 LKR 2,850

$60.2 ฿1,967

-85.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 LKR 1,124

$8.69 ฿284

-60.99%

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

$16.54 LKR 5,484

$693 ฿22.6K

-97.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$136 LKR 45.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-99.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.10 LKR 9,317

$59.5 ฿1,944

-52.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.08 LKR 3,343

$34.77 ฿1,136

-71.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 LKR 22.5K

$115 ฿3,743

-40.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.03 LKR 8,963

$83.3 ฿2,720

-67.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.5 LKR 32.7K

$613 ฿20.0K

-83.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.5 LKR 20.4K

$437 ฿14.3K

-85.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 LKR 113.1K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-83.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 LKR 61.8K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-87.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$223 LKR 74.1K

$508 ฿16.6K

-56.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

87.62%

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

Last update for Gampaha: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $98.5 in Gampaha and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 127% 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 Gampaha vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $293 per month, with Gampaha 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

Gampaha vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gampaha and Phuket differ by about 155% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $1,265 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 127% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $98.5 in Gampaha versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $16.54 in Gampaha versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $495 in Gampaha versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Gampaha 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 Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.