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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $495 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $868 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,241 in Gampaha.

Living in Phuket is roughly 155% more expensive than Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$1.63 LKR 539

188.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$25.26 LKR 8,374

79.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.08 LKR 1,683

65.94%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.22 LKR 735

31.98%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.70 LKR 232

-1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.37 LKR 124

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.13 LKR 706

13.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.64 LKR 545

126.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.73 LKR 573

28.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.52 LKR 173

251.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.73 LKR 244

197.26%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.21 LKR 733

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$14.25 LKR 4,724

38.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.46 LKR 1,478

-18.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.93 LKR 2,631

70.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$6.80 LKR 2,254

-51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.07 LKR 354

50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$5.67 LKR 1,881

-57.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.25 LKR 414

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.07 LKR 354

42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.34 LKR 445

10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.35 LKR 115

182.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.38 LKR 126

34.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$10.00 LKR 3,314

-55.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$13.06 LKR 4,332

48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.53 LKR 508

16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.66 LKR 883

1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.31 LKR 104

341.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.32 LKR 106

843.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.32 LKR 107

209.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$0.58 LKR 192

2331.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.21 LKR 402

12.40%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

4.19%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.3K LKR 11.4M

-3.94%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$29.59 LKR 9,812

311.29%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$3.41 LKR 1,131

297.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$12.33 LKR 4,087

48.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$8.60 LKR 2,850

600.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.39 LKR 1,124

156.34%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$16.54 LKR 5,484

4092.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$136 LKR 45.2K

11399.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$28.10 LKR 9,317

111.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$10.08 LKR 3,343

244.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$67.9 LKR 22.5K

68.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$27.03 LKR 8,963

208.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$98.5 LKR 32.7K

522.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$61.5 LKR 20.4K

610.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$341 LKR 113.1K

514.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$187 LKR 61.8K

709.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$223 LKR 74.1K

127.49%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $98.5 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 127% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $243 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 155% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $495 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 127% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $98.5 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $16.54 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 $25.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $495 in Gampaha versus $1,265 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 155% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.