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 $1,242 per month in Phuket vs $480 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $770 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,061 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 159% 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 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿152

$1.51 LKR 508

204.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.86 ฿1,154

$25.37 LKR 8,502

37.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 ฿284

$7.66 LKR 2,567

11.88%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ฿93.2

$2.37 LKR 794

18.99%

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

$0.78 ฿25.75

$0.69 LKR 231

13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.75

$0.27 LKR 91.3

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿80.1

$2.22 LKR 743

9.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

$3.04 LKR 1,020

22.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.1

$1.57 LKR 526

14.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.51

$0.47 LKR 156

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$0.78 LKR 262

105.13%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿72.9

$1.54 LKR 515

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.64 ฿650

$12.77 LKR 4,280

53.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ฿116

$4.85 LKR 1,626

-27.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 ฿372

$6.96 LKR 2,333

61.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ฿94.7

$6.83 LKR 2,290

-58.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿55.7

$0.84 LKR 283

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿76.4

$4.54 LKR 1,520

-49.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿69.5

$1.27 LKR 427

65.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.91

$0.94 LKR 315

57.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.54

$0.77 LKR 259

75.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.58

$0.88 LKR 295

21.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ฿19.07

$0.47 LKR 159

23.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿143

$10.01 LKR 3,354

-56.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 ฿618

$13.39 LKR 4,487

39.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.2

$1.93 LKR 648

-7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿91.8

$2.64 LKR 885

4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 ฿72.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿760

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿100

$0.41 LKR 136

639.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿33.71

$0.37 LKR 124

175.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ฿129

$0.93 LKR 313

320.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.27

$1.25 LKR 420

14.40%

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

$27.2K ฿900.7K

$29.8K LKR 10.0M

-8.72%

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

$26.9K ฿889.6K

$39.4K LKR 13.2M

-31.81%

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

$102 ฿3,383

$52.1 LKR 17.5K

96.20%

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

$10.95 ฿362

$4.01 LKR 1,343

173.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.06 ฿565

$20.51 LKR 6,874

-16.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 ฿1,761

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿259

$4.06 LKR 1,361

92.61%

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

$552 ฿18.3K

$37.91 LKR 12.7K

1356.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ฿378.3K

$1,169 LKR 391.9K

877.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,064

$20.01 LKR 6,705

211.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ฿959

$16.15 LKR 5,413

79.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ฿3,232

$78.0 LKR 26.2K

25.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 ฿2,924

$42.36 LKR 14.2K

108.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ฿15.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 ฿69.9K

$438 LKR 146.9K

381.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ฿39.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,579 ฿118.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,576 ฿85.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ฿16.8K

$212 LKR 71.0K

139.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 3, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 140% 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 $35.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $232 – 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 159% 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 $1,863 per month in Phuket and $719 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 $35.00 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 17% 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 $480, than in Phuket at $1,242. 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 $480 versus $1,242 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.