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: $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,654 in Hikkaduwa versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Hikkaduwa costs roughly 54% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 57% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,316

$4.70 ฿153

-15.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.53 LKR 8,466

$45.37 ฿1,482

-43.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 LKR 2,833

$8.43 ฿275

1.30%

Cappuccino

$2.71 LKR 898

$2.93 ฿95.6

-7.51%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$0.69 ฿22.40

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 105

$0.37 ฿11.99

-13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 768

$2.41 ฿78.6

-3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,086

$3.72 ฿122

-12.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 LKR 555

$2.23 ฿72.9

-25.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$1.83 ฿59.8

-69.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 275

$2.17 ฿70.8

-61.75%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 712

$2.21 ฿72.3

-2.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 LKR 4,583

$19.74 ฿645

-29.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 LKR 1,592

$3.63 ฿119

32.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.15 LKR 2,702

$13.53 ฿442

-39.76%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 LKR 2,515

$3.28 ฿107

131.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.61 ฿52.6

-80.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 LKR 897

$2.41 ฿78.6

12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 326

$2.08 ฿68.1

-52.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 384

$1.53 ฿49.93

-24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.48 ฿48.36

-74.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 377

$0.99 ฿32.29

15.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.51 ฿16.67

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,317

$4.41 ฿144

126.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,262

$19.38 ฿633

-33.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 698

$1.78 ฿58.1

17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 971

$2.71 ฿88.6

8.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.37 ฿44.79

-76.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$3.02 ฿98.6

-87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$0.99 ฿32.48

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 192

$14.10 ฿461

-95.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 396

$1.36 ฿44.51

-12.50%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.7M

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-6.86%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.4M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

4.47%

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

$59.9 LKR 19.9K

$122 ฿3,975

-50.76%

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

$4.22 LKR 1,400

$13.57 ฿443

-68.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 LKR 4,939

$18.31 ฿598

-18.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$3.26 LKR 1,081

$8.69 ฿284

-62.49%

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

$37.16 LKR 12.3K

$693 ฿22.6K

-94.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 144.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-97.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.63 LKR 9,160

$59.5 ฿1,944

-53.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.41 LKR 6,435

$34.77 ฿1,136

-44.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 23.0K

$115 ฿3,743

-39.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.90 LKR 12.9K

$83.3 ฿2,720

-53.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 LKR 54.7K

$613 ฿20.0K

-73.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.1 LKR 27.5K

$437 ฿14.3K

-80.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 LKR 554.2K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-20.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 LKR 164.8K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-67.08%

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)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $165 in Hikkaduwa and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $293 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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $872 in Hikkaduwa and $1,898 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: $165 in Hikkaduwa versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $582 per month in Hikkaduwa versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,265 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 118% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.