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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $453 in Galle.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $741 in Galle.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,029 in Galle.

Living in Phuket is roughly 172% more expensive than in Galle, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Galle 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.54 LKR 510

186.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$23.87 LKR 7,891

35.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.48 LKR 2,473

19.39%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.77 LKR 586

63.84%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.70 LKR 230

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.25 LKR 82.3

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.24 LKR 409

89.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.49 LKR 494

149.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.62 LKR 537

15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.57 LKR 187

157.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.76 LKR 251

103.95%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.58 LKR 521

32.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$13.25 LKR 4,381

47.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.15 LKR 1,702

-33.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.12 LKR 2,356

59.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$6.59 LKR 2,179

-54.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.79 LKR 261

112.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.23 LKR 1,398

-47.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.25 LKR 412

72.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.98 LKR 325

55.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.75 LKR 249

78.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.94 LKR 312

20.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.49 LKR 162

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.36 LKR 3,424

-58.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$9.00 LKR 2,976

112.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.91 LKR 631

-6.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.86 LKR 944

-2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.15 LKR 49.26

1386.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.29 LKR 94.4

944.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.29 LKR 95.5

251.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.88 LKR 292

342.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.29 LKR 428

15.50%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-28.55%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

-33.40%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$54.8 LKR 18.1K

87.09%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.06 LKR 1,343

179.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$20.73 LKR 6,855

-16.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.40 LKR 1,455

74.77%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$37.80 LKR 12.5K

1383.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,209 LKR 399.7K

851.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$20.18 LKR 6,672

212.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$16.66 LKR 5,508

77.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$78.9 LKR 26.1K

24.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$43.03 LKR 14.2K

105.67%

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 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$315 LKR 104.1K

56.71%

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 Galle: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 57% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $24.00 in Galle for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $226 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, Getting Around. The 172% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 57% 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 $561 in Phuket versus $37.80 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 $24.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $453 in Galle versus $1,232 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 172% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.