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: $515 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $829 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,142 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,833 in Phuket.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 62% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 LKR 1,426

$4.56 ฿151

-4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.55 LKR 8,053

$32.62 ฿1,082

-24.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 LKR 2,458

$8.90 ฿295

-15.84%

Cappuccino

$2.50 LKR 820

$2.80 ฿93.0

-10.71%

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

$0.68 LKR 222

$0.88 ฿29.19

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.2

$0.49 ฿16.23

-48.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 756

$2.39 ฿79.2

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 LKR 1,010

$3.71 ฿123

-16.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 LKR 530

$1.79 ฿59.3

-9.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$1.44 ฿47.81

-60.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 LKR 260

$1.58 ฿52.6

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 537

$2.13 ฿70.5

-23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 LKR 4,264

$19.92 ฿661

-34.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 LKR 1,653

$3.43 ฿114

46.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,476

$11.33 ฿376

-33.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.90 LKR 2,263

$2.95 ฿97.8

133.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.72 ฿57.1

-48.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 LKR 1,405

$2.32 ฿77.1

84.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 423

$2.08 ฿69.0

-37.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 LKR 342

$1.47 ฿48.77

-29.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.36 ฿45.05

-40.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 311

$1.10 ฿36.45

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 160

$0.57 ฿19.06

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.31 LKR 3,382

$4.27 ฿142

141.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.76 LKR 4,514

$18.42 ฿611

-25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 LKR 618

$1.87 ฿62.1

1.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 LKR 880

$2.92 ฿96.9

-8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$3.03 ฿101

-86.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 122

$1.07 ฿35.63

-65.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$3.93 ฿130

-77.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 LKR 431

$1.49 ฿49.49

-12.08%

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

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

$27.1K ฿899.8K

14.27%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$27.5K ฿910.6K

53.11%

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

$52.9 LKR 17.3K

$103 ฿3,410

-48.56%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,411

$10.99 ฿365

-60.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.48 LKR 6,718

$17.51 ฿581

16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,776

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 LKR 1,436

$7.48 ฿248

-41.44%

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

$37.60 LKR 12.3K

$557 ฿18.5K

-93.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,222 LKR 400.8K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-89.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.32 LKR 6,665

$64.1 ฿2,125

-68.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.74 LKR 5,493

$29.07 ฿964

-42.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 LKR 26.4K

$96.0 ฿3,183

-16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.03 LKR 13.8K

$90.3 ฿2,997

-53.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

5.57

127.83%

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

Last update for Hikkaduwa: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $273 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 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $773 in Hikkaduwa and $1,880 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $515 per month in Hikkaduwa versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $515 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,253 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 143% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.