Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $518 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $855 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,192 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 136% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.92 LKR 1,304

15.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$25.50 LKR 8,491

82.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.21 LKR 2,732

3.41%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.61 LKR 870

18.01%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.68 LKR 228

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.34 LKR 114

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.38 LKR 792

2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.26 LKR 1,085

11.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.70 LKR 565

28.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.57 LKR 188

217.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.82 LKR 274

171.95%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.16 LKR 718

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$14.22 LKR 4,736

37.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.61 LKR 1,536

-19.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$8.27 LKR 2,754

62.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$7.53 LKR 2,507

-55.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.11 LKR 369

45.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$5.89 LKR 1,960

-59.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.24 LKR 414

60.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.11 LKR 369

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.38 LKR 459

5.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.18 LKR 394

-14.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.56 LKR 185

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$10.24 LKR 3,412

-58.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$12.97 LKR 4,318

47.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.09 LKR 696

-11.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.95 LKR 983

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.39 LKR 128

669.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.32 LKR 108

228.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$0.60 LKR 200

2216.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.21 LKR 404

6.61%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

4.04%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.6M

-4.15%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

103.50%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.22 LKR 1,407

230.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$14.97 LKR 4,985

26.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$3.28 LKR 1,092

171.04%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$37.02 LKR 12.3K

1767.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$446 LKR 148.6K

3520.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$27.90 LKR 9,292

107.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$19.62 LKR 6,532

80.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$68.4 LKR 22.8K

65.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$38.70 LKR 12.9K

114.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$209 LKR 69.6K

141.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.45

-67.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 141% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $259 – making Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Phuket vs Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 136% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $777 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $518 versus $1,223 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.