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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $590 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,125 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,660 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Phuket is roughly 112% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Hikkaduwa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.05 LKR 1,361

12.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$25.51 LKR 8,572

81.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.38 LKR 2,816

5.49%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.65 LKR 891

15.47%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.72 LKR 243

1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.34 LKR 115

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.33 LKR 783

4.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.32 LKR 1,114

13.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.76 LKR 593

28.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.52 LKR 176

248.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.88 LKR 295

155.68%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.22 LKR 747

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.29 LKR 4,802

36.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.78 LKR 1,606

-23.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.87 LKR 2,645

65.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$7.42 LKR 2,492

-56.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.32 LKR 107

406.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.75 LKR 923

-13.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.98 LKR 331

107.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.16 LKR 391

31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.36 LKR 121

316.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.18 LKR 397

-16.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.57 LKR 190

-8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$10.11 LKR 3,399

-56.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$12.67 LKR 4,258

44.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.06 LKR 694

-9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.93 LKR 985

-8.53%

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

$0.42 LKR 141

640.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.35 LKR 118

197.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$0.60 LKR 203

2251.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.26 LKR 423

3.97%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

2.32%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-5.72%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$61.4 LKR 20.6K

99.58%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$4.28 LKR 1,438

217.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$15.20 LKR 5,108

23.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.26 LKR 1,096

178.22%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

1785.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$440 LKR 147.8K

3493.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$27.50 LKR 9,240

112.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$19.44 LKR 6,532

81.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

65.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$39.04 LKR 13.1K

114.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$169 LKR 56.9K

269.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$83.5 LKR 28.1K

433.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,689 LKR 567.7K

20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$497 LKR 167.0K

200.21%

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

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $169 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $238 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 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $885 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: $626 in Phuket versus $169 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $590 in Hikkaduwa – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $590 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,250 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 112% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.