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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $413 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $674 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $936 in Negombo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 196% more expensive than Negombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Negombo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$3.93 LKR 1,310

14.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$18.33 LKR 6,103

154.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.27 LKR 2,754

2.66%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.43 LKR 476

115.38%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.74 LKR 245

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.37 LKR 124

-2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$2.06 LKR 687

17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.32 LKR 1,105

9.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.53 LKR 509

43.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.49 LKR 163

269.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$0.83 LKR 276

168.67%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.21 LKR 736

1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$14.03 LKR 4,672

39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.81 LKR 1,600

-22.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$5.75 LKR 1,915

134.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.04 LKR 680

64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$0.71 LKR 238

128.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$2.49 LKR 829

-3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.26 LKR 421

57.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$0.82 LKR 275

86.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.92 LKR 305

57.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.03 LKR 342

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.61 LKR 202

-21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$8.86 LKR 2,950

-51.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$12.96 LKR 4,316

47.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$2.06 LKR 686

-10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.95 LKR 982

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.34 LKR 113

317.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.41 LKR 137

631.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.33 LKR 111

218.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$0.60 LKR 201

2216.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.24 LKR 413

4.03%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$26.7K LKR 8.9M

5.17%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-4.29%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$31.15 LKR 10.4K

291.59%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$4.22 LKR 1,404

230.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$14.95 LKR 4,977

26.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$13.60 LKR 4,530

350.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$10.20 LKR 3,398

65.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$2.45 LKR 815

262.86%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$36.24 LKR 12.1K

1807.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$445 LKR 148.3K

3528.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$19.42 LKR 6,468

197.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$19.69 LKR 6,555

79.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$49.36 LKR 16.4K

129.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$27.22 LKR 9,066

204.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$183 LKR 61.1K

175.29%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Negombo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 175% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $204 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 196% 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.

Phuket pays 175% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $36.24 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 $18.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $413 in Negombo versus $1,223 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 $413 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 196% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.