Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hikkaduwa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $590 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,125 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,660 in Hikkaduwa versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Hikkaduwa costs roughly 53% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 56% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 LKR 1,361

$4.55 ฿153

-10.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.51 LKR 8,571

$46.18 ฿1,554

-44.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.38 LKR 2,816

$8.84 ฿298

-5.20%

Cappuccino

$2.65 LKR 890

$3.06 ฿103

-13.40%

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

$0.72 LKR 243

$0.73 ฿24.42

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.40 ฿13.40

-15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 LKR 783

$2.43 ฿81.8

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 LKR 1,114

$3.78 ฿127

-12.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LKR 593

$2.26 ฿76.0

-22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 176

$1.81 ฿60.9

-71.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 295

$2.25 ฿75.8

-60.89%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 747

$2.25 ฿75.6

-1.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.29 LKR 4,801

$19.51 ฿656

-26.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,606

$3.65 ฿123

30.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 LKR 2,645

$13.05 ฿439

-39.69%

Apples (1kg)

$7.42 LKR 2,492

$3.23 ฿109

129.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.32 LKR 107

$1.62 ฿54.4

-80.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 LKR 923

$2.38 ฿80.2

15.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 331

$2.03 ฿68.2

-51.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 391

$1.53 ฿51.6

-24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 LKR 120

$1.50 ฿50.5

-76.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 397

$0.98 ฿32.93

20.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$0.52 ฿17.40

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 LKR 3,398

$4.44 ฿149

127.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.67 LKR 4,258

$18.32 ฿616

-30.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 694

$1.86 ฿62.7

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 985

$2.68 ฿90.2

9.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

$1.41 ฿47.49

-75.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$3.11 ฿105

-86.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$1.04 ฿35.08

-66.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 203

$14.11 ฿475

-95.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 422

$1.31 ฿44.13

-3.82%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-2.26%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

6.07%

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

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

$122 ฿4,120

-49.89%

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

$4.28 LKR 1,438

$13.59 ฿457

-68.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.20 LKR 5,107

$18.70 ฿629

-18.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$3.26 LKR 1,096

$9.07 ฿305

-64.06%

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

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

$706 ฿23.8K

-94.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$440 LKR 147.8K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-97.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.50 LKR 9,239

$58.6 ฿1,970

-53.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.44 LKR 6,531

$35.36 ฿1,190

-45.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

$115 ฿3,885

-39.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.04 LKR 13.1K

$83.7 ฿2,818

-53.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 LKR 56.9K

$626 ฿21.1K

-72.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.5 LKR 28.1K

$445 ฿15.0K

-81.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 LKR 567.6K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-17.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 LKR 167.0K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-66.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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 Hikkaduwa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $169 in Hikkaduwa and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $289 per month, with Hikkaduwa 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

Hikkaduwa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $885 in Hikkaduwa and $1,875 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $169 in Hikkaduwa versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $590 per month in Hikkaduwa versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $590 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa 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, Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.