Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hikkaduwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hikkaduwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $582 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,118 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,654 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Phuket is roughly 118% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Hikkaduwa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$3.97 LKR 1,324

18.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$25.53 LKR 8,515

77.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.54 LKR 2,850

-1.29%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.71 LKR 903

8.12%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.74 LKR 248

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.32 LKR 106

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.32 LKR 773

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.27 LKR 1,092

13.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.67 LKR 558

33.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.55 LKR 185

232.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.83 LKR 277

161.45%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.15 LKR 716

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$13.82 LKR 4,609

42.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.80 LKR 1,601

-24.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$8.15 LKR 2,717

66.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$7.58 LKR 2,529

-56.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.32 LKR 106

403.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.71 LKR 903

-11.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.98 LKR 328

112.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.16 LKR 386

31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.38 LKR 128

289.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.14 LKR 379

-13.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.52 LKR 175

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$10.00 LKR 3,336

-55.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$12.85 LKR 4,287

50.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.10 LKR 702

-15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.93 LKR 977

-7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.32 LKR 107

328.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.38 LKR 127

694.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.33 LKR 109

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$0.58 LKR 193

2331.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.19 LKR 398

14.29%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

7.36%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-4.28%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$59.9 LKR 20.0K

103.07%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.22 LKR 1,408

221.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$14.89 LKR 4,967

22.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.26 LKR 1,087

166.56%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$37.16 LKR 12.4K

1766.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$435 LKR 145.0K

3507.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$27.63 LKR 9,213

115.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$19.41 LKR 6,473

79.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$69.3 LKR 23.1K

65.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$38.90 LKR 13.0K

114.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$165 LKR 55.1K

271.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$83.1 LKR 27.7K

426.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,671 LKR 557.4K

25.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$497 LKR 165.7K

203.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $165 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $237 per month, with Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $872 in Hikkaduwa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $165 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $582 in Hikkaduwa – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.