Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gampaha Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gampaha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $497 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $872 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,247 in Gampaha.

Living in Phuket is roughly 152% more expensive than in Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.72 LKR 577

164.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$25.50 LKR 8,569

81.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.05 LKR 1,697

75.05%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.13 LKR 715

43.66%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.69 LKR 231

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.38 LKR 127

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.21 LKR 743

9.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.64 LKR 552

130.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.78 LKR 597

26.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.52 LKR 176

248.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.73 LKR 244

208.22%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.21 LKR 741

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.34 LKR 4,819

36.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.38 LKR 1,470

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.94 LKR 2,667

64.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$6.63 LKR 2,226

-51.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.07 LKR 359

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$5.74 LKR 1,929

-58.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.25 LKR 421

62.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.07 LKR 358

42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.38 LKR 464

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.31 LKR 105

216.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.36 LKR 120

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$10.14 LKR 3,407

-56.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.48 LKR 4,193

46.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.54 LKR 517

20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.64 LKR 889

1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.34 LKR 115

314.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.32 LKR 106

871.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.35 LKR 118

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$0.58 LKR 195

2332.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.26 LKR 425

3.97%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

3.45%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-4.25%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

301.84%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$3.31 LKR 1,111

310.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$12.24 LKR 4,112

52.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$8.51 LKR 2,861

610.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.40 LKR 1,144

166.76%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$16.81 LKR 5,649

4102.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$137 LKR 45.9K

11473.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$27.31 LKR 9,176

114.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$9.88 LKR 3,322

257.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

72.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$26.60 LKR 8,939

214.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

532.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

607.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$333 LKR 112.1K

511.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$186 LKR 62.4K

703.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$219 LKR 73.5K

128.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 128% 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 Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $242 per month, with Gampaha 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Gampaha differ by about 152% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $497 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 128% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $16.81 in Gampaha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – 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 $497 in Gampaha versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Gampaha 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 Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 152% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.