Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Negombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Negombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $398 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $648 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $898 in Negombo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 209% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Negombo 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.34 LKR 1,437

1.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$16.72 LKR 5,537

92.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.74 LKR 2,562

15.37%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.29 LKR 426

124.81%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.74 LKR 246

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.25 LKR 82.0

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.27 LKR 753

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.07 LKR 1,017

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.58 LKR 522

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.58 LKR 191

153.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.76 LKR 252

103.95%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.66 LKR 548

26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.04 LKR 4,317

50.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.22 LKR 1,398

-18.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$6.04 LKR 2,000

88.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$1.82 LKR 601

63.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.68 LKR 226

147.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.23 LKR 737

-0.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.21 LKR 402

78.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.73 LKR 242

108.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.75 LKR 247

78.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.90 LKR 297

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.48 LKR 160

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.21 LKR 3,379

-58.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$13.48 LKR 4,463

41.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.90 LKR 629

-6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.77 LKR 918

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.31 LKR 103

619.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.38 LKR 126

697.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.36 LKR 119

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.89 LKR 294

337.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.05 LKR 348

41.90%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$30.1K LKR 10.0M

-11.61%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$42.3K LKR 14.0M

-36.09%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$25.91 LKR 8,578

295.48%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$4.26 LKR 1,409

165.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$21.26 LKR 7,040

-18.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$15.30 LKR 5,065

240.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$9.32 LKR 3,087

18.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$2.45 LKR 812

213.88%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$37.62 LKR 12.5K

1390.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$460 LKR 152.3K

2400.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$8.89 LKR 2,944

609.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$16.80 LKR 5,561

75.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$37.16 LKR 12.3K

163.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$24.13 LKR 7,990

266.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$180 LKR 59.8K

173.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Negombo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 174% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $193 per month, with Negombo 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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negombo wins on cost – living expenses run 209% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 174% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $37.62 in Negombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negombo – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $398 in Negombo versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negombo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Negombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Negombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $398 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Negombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Negombo 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 Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 209% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.