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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $459 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $774 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,088 in Gampaha.

Living in Phuket is roughly 173% more expensive than in Gampaha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Gampaha 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$1.89 LKR 619

141.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$18.03 LKR 5,916

80.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$5.25 LKR 1,723

69.52%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$1.25 LKR 411

124.00%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.59 LKR 192

49.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.27 LKR 89.1

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.10 LKR 689

13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.10 LKR 1,018

19.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$1.57 LKR 515

14.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.45 LKR 147

220.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$0.74 LKR 244

113.51%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.58 LKR 519

34.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$13.04 LKR 4,279

52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$4.05 LKR 1,329

-15.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$7.34 LKR 2,407

54.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$6.19 LKR 2,032

-52.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.90 LKR 296

91.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$4.35 LKR 1,427

-46.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.24 LKR 408

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.02 LKR 336

44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.75 LKR 246

81.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.29 LKR 94.1

279.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.32 LKR 106

78.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$9.67 LKR 3,173

-55.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$13.32 LKR 4,369

38.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.36 LKR 446

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.46 LKR 807

18.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.31 LKR 102

616.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.31 LKR 102

877.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$0.36 LKR 118

197.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$0.88 LKR 288

346.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.13 LKR 371

31.86%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

-11.16%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

-36.14%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$27.91 LKR 9,158

268.33%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$3.10 LKR 1,016

254.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$10.96 LKR 3,596

59.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$7.43 LKR 2,438

620.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.44 LKR 1,455

68.47%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$15.53 LKR 5,094

3486.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$120 LKR 39.4K

9761.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$20.29 LKR 6,657

215.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$9.37 LKR 3,074

210.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

58.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$24.25 LKR 7,955

272.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

709.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

799.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$307 LKR 100.7K

580.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$166 LKR 54.6K

627.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$230 LKR 75.4K

119.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 119% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $219 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 173% in total monthly costs ($1,253 vs $459 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 119% 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: $730 in Phuket versus $90.2 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $15.53 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 $18.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $459 in Gampaha versus $1,253 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 173% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.