😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $506 in Homagama.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $807 in Homagama.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,107 in Homagama.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 150% more expensive than Homagama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Homagama62% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$3.92LKR 1,309
19.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$25.58LKR 8,530
77.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$8.46LKR 2,822
-0.35%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$2.77LKR 923
5.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$0.70LKR 233
-1.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$0.38LKR 126
-2.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.35LKR 784
2.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.27LKR 1,091
13.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.33LKR 443
67.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$0.52LKR 174
251.92%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$0.69LKR 231
214.49%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$1.96LKR 654
12.76%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$13.88LKR 4,628
42.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$4.08LKR 1,360
-11.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$8.25LKR 2,751
64.00%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$7.38LKR 2,461
-55.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$0.98LKR 326
64.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$5.68LKR 1,896
-57.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$1.22LKR 405
70.49%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$1.10LKR 366
39.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.03LKR 343
43.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.19LKR 397
-16.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.48LKR 159
6.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$9.96LKR 3,323
-55.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$12.00LKR 4,000
61.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.99LKR 663
-10.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$2.35LKR 785
15.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$0.48LKR 161
185.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$0.41LKR 138
636.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$0.35LKR 118
182.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$0.61LKR 203
2211.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.25LKR 417
8.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$14.8KLKR 4.9M
90.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$23.4KLKR 7.8M
40.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$23.74LKR 7,916
412.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$3.39LKR 1,132
300.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$15.00LKR 5,002
22.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$6.58LKR 2,194
815.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$3.27LKR 1,091
424.16%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$3.44LKR 1,146
152.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$36.33LKR 12.1K
1808.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$435LKR 145.2K
3503.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$27.34LKR 9,118
117.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$13.49LKR 4,498
157.75%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$26.85LKR 8,955
326.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$30.38LKR 10.1K
174.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$109LKR 36.2K
465.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$50.6LKR 16.9K
763.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Homagama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$154LKR 51.3K
230.11%
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 Homagama: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $109 in Homagama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 230% 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 $26.00 in Homagama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $242 per month, with Homagama 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 Homagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Homagama cheaper than Phuket?
Homagama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 150% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Homagama?
Phuket pays 230% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Homagama?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $109 in Homagama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $36.33 in Homagama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Homagama?
Dining out is cheaper in Homagama – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Homagama?
At $506 in Homagama versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Homagama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Homagama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Homagama more family-friendly?
For families, Homagama 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Homagama?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Homagama are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Homagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.