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: $459 in Gampaha versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Gampaha versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,088 in Gampaha versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Gampaha costs roughly 63% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gampaha 67% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.89 LKR 619

$4.56 ฿150

-58.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 LKR 5,916

$32.62 ฿1,072

-44.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 LKR 1,723

$8.90 ฿293

-41.01%

Cappuccino

$1.25 LKR 411

$2.80 ฿92.2

-55.36%

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

$0.59 LKR 192

$0.88 ฿28.93

-32.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.1

$0.49 ฿16.08

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 LKR 689

$2.39 ฿78.5

-12.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$3.71 ฿122

-16.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 515

$1.79 ฿58.7

-12.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 LKR 147

$1.44 ฿47.38

-68.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 244

$1.58 ฿52.1

-53.16%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 519

$2.13 ฿69.9

-25.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 LKR 4,279

$19.92 ฿655

-34.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 LKR 1,329

$3.43 ฿113

18.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,407

$11.33 ฿372

-35.22%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 LKR 2,032

$2.95 ฿96.9

109.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 296

$1.72 ฿56.6

-47.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$2.32 ฿76.4

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 408

$2.08 ฿68.4

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 336

$1.47 ฿48.33

-30.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$1.36 ฿44.64

-44.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 LKR 94.1

$1.10 ฿36.12

-73.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.57 ฿18.89

-43.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 LKR 3,173

$4.27 ฿140

126.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 LKR 4,369

$18.42 ฿605

-27.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 LKR 446

$1.87 ฿61.5

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LKR 807

$2.92 ฿96.0

-15.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 102

$2.22 ฿72.9

-86.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$3.03 ฿99.6

-89.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$1.07 ฿35.31

-66.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$3.93 ฿129

-77.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 LKR 371

$1.49 ฿49.04

-24.16%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$27.1K ฿891.7K

12.56%

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

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

$27.5K ฿902.3K

56.60%

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

$27.91 LKR 9,158

$103 ฿3,379

-72.85%

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

$3.10 LKR 1,016

$10.99 ฿361

-71.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.96 LKR 3,596

$17.51 ฿576

-37.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.43 LKR 2,438

$53.5 ฿1,760

-86.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$4.44 LKR 1,455

$7.48 ฿246

-40.64%

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

$15.53 LKR 5,094

$557 ฿18.3K

-97.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$120 LKR 39.4K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-98.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 LKR 6,657

$64.1 ฿2,106

-68.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.37 LKR 3,074

$29.07 ฿956

-67.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

$96.0 ฿3,154

-36.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.25 LKR 7,955

$90.3 ฿2,970

-73.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

$730 ฿24.0K

-87.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

$500 ฿16.4K

-88.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.7K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 LKR 54.6K

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-86.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 LKR 75.4K

$503 ฿16.5K

-54.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

79.53%

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

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $90.2 in Gampaha and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 119% 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: $18.00 in Gampaha vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $273 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 173% in total monthly costs ($459 vs $1,253 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 119% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $90.2 in Gampaha versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $15.53 in Gampaha versus $557 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 $18.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $459 in Gampaha versus $1,253 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 173% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.