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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $487 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $799 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,110 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Phuket costs about 153% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.54 LKR 508

186.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,075

$26.39 LKR 8,725

22.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.45 LKR 2,463

19.87%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.5

$2.58 LKR 854

12.40%

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

$0.88 ฿29.33

$0.73 LKR 240

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.03

$0.27 LKR 90.2

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.29 LKR 758

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.03 LKR 1,003

22.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.2

$1.56 LKR 515

19.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.86

$0.53 LKR 175

177.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.82 LKR 270

89.02%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.65 LKR 546

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿653

$13.21 LKR 4,369

48.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.15 LKR 1,703

-33.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.20 LKR 2,381

58.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.4

$7.01 LKR 2,317

-57.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.90 LKR 297

86.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$4.30 LKR 1,422

-48.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.28 LKR 424

68.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.00 LKR 331

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.59

$0.79 LKR 261

69.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.60

$0.91 LKR 300

24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$0.49 LKR 163

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.33 LKR 3,416

-58.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿636

$13.73 LKR 4,540

39.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$1.88 LKR 623

-5.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.7

$2.84 LKR 939

-2.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.41 LKR 136

639.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

$0.36 LKR 118

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.90 LKR 297

332.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$1.28 LKR 422

16.41%

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

$26.6K ฿885.7K

$30.5K LKR 10.1M

-12.91%

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

$27.0K ฿900.6K

$43.3K LKR 14.3M

-37.53%

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

$102 ฿3,414

$56.2 LKR 18.6K

82.33%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.15 LKR 1,372

173.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿580

$21.26 LKR 7,028

-18.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.43 LKR 1,465

73.59%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$37.37 LKR 12.4K

1400.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.4K

$1,213 LKR 401.0K

848.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,100

$20.47 LKR 6,768

207.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿984

$16.70 LKR 5,521

76.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,266

$80.8 LKR 26.7K

21.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,949

$42.73 LKR 14.1K

107.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

$454 LKR 150.0K

364.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$211 LKR 69.6K

134.38%

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: September 15, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 134% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $238 – 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 153% 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $731 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 $32.00 in Phuket and $26.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $487, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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 $487 versus $1,232 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.