Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Galle Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Galle

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $496 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $908 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,320 in Galle.

Living in Phuket is roughly 155% more expensive than Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Galle 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.03 LKR 1,012

50.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$25.34 LKR 8,451

84.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.05 LKR 2,685

5.22%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.65 LKR 885

14.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.69 LKR 229

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.41 LKR 136

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.29 LKR 763

8.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.97 LKR 990

23.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.79 LKR 596

21.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.34 LKR 115

458.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.80 LKR 268

175.00%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.99 LKR 663

11.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$13.94 LKR 4,651

43.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.73 LKR 1,576

-22.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$8.08 LKR 2,694

63.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$7.53 LKR 2,510

-57.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.89 LKR 297

91.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$5.72 LKR 1,908

-58.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.26 LKR 421

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.14 LKR 381

39.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.42 LKR 473

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.19 LKR 397

-13.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.46 LKR 154

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$9.89 LKR 3,300

-57.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.10 LKR 3,035

106.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.08 LKR 692

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.85 LKR 950

-3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.17 LKR 55.1

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.32 LKR 106

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.33 LKR 110

215.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$0.57 LKR 189

2315.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.26 LKR 420

6.35%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

4.21%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$35.5K LKR 11.8M

-4.54%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

107.16%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.28 LKR 1,426

215.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$13.33 LKR 4,446

40.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$3.31 LKR 1,105

176.13%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$37.07 LKR 12.4K

1795.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$447 LKR 149.2K

3448.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$27.02 LKR 9,013

120.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$19.64 LKR 6,552

78.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

64.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

119.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$197 LKR 65.9K

944.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$153 LKR 51.2K

884.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$301 LKR 100.3K

68.66%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Galle: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 69% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $245 per month, with Galle 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

Phuket vs Galle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galle is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 155% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 69% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $37.07 in Galle. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Galle – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $496 in Galle versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Galle but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Galle the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Galle 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, Phuket and Galle 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 Galle gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.