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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $493 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $899 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,306 in Galle.

Living in Phuket is roughly 157% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Galle 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.95 LKR 989

51.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,522

$25.61 LKR 8,592

78.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.84 LKR 2,629

11.73%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$2.71 LKR 910

9.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.92

$0.74 LKR 247

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.41 LKR 137

-4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$2.31 LKR 777

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.97 LKR 995

26.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.79 LKR 601

20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.32 LKR 106

468.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$0.82 LKR 274

165.85%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$1.91 LKR 642

17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$14.18 LKR 4,757

41.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.63 LKR 1,555

-21.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$8.16 LKR 2,739

66.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$7.28 LKR 2,444

-55.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.93 LKR 314

76.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$5.67 LKR 1,904

-58.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$1.20 LKR 404

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.12 LKR 374

38.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$1.43 LKR 480

2.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.88

$1.16 LKR 389

-15.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.43 LKR 143

11.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$9.91 LKR 3,324

-56.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$9.10 LKR 3,055

104.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$2.02 LKR 678

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$2.85 LKR 957

-7.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.32

$0.19 LKR 65.3

647.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.35 LKR 116

805.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.45

$0.33 LKR 110

212.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$0.61 LKR 204

2177.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.88

$1.25 LKR 419

7.20%

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

$27.8K ฿927.9K

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

1.86%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-4.55%

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

$123 ฿4,109

$60.8 LKR 20.4K

102.35%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$4.30 LKR 1,443

220.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$13.18 LKR 4,423

39.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,026

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.33 LKR 1,116

166.37%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$37.06 LKR 12.4K

1756.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.9K

$433 LKR 145.4K

3541.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,980

$27.42 LKR 9,200

116.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,158

$19.08 LKR 6,402

81.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,846

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

65.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,797

$38.65 LKR 13.0K

116.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$192 LKR 64.4K

959.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$149 LKR 50.0K

903.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$305 LKR 102.3K

61.94%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Galle: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 62% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $243 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 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 62% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $37.06 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 $26.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $493 in Galle versus $1,264 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 157% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.