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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $416 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $685 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $953 in Negombo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 204% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Negombo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.08 LKR 1,369

9.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$18.40 LKR 6,175

147.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.43 LKR 2,829

3.91%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.39 LKR 465

113.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.68 LKR 229

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.38 LKR 126

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.04 LKR 683

24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.32 LKR 1,114

12.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.50 LKR 502

43.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.52 LKR 175

250.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.83 LKR 278

162.65%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.20 LKR 738

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.93 LKR 4,674

43.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.63 LKR 1,552

-21.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.65 LKR 1,896

140.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.04 LKR 683

58.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.72 LKR 240

127.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.55 LKR 855

-8.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.20 LKR 403

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.80 LKR 269

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.89 LKR 298

64.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.02 LKR 343

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.60 LKR 200

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$8.80 LKR 2,953

-50.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.72 LKR 4,269

45.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.04 LKR 684

-8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.92 LKR 980

-9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.31 LKR 105

358.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.41 LKR 139

673.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.30 LKR 102

243.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.62 LKR 207

2140.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.22 LKR 408

9.84%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

5.13%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-5.77%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$30.94 LKR 10.4K

297.71%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$4.34 LKR 1,458

217.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$14.87 LKR 4,991

23.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$13.30 LKR 4,464

356.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$9.97 LKR 3,346

72.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$2.39 LKR 803

271.13%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$37.52 LKR 12.6K

1733.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$446 LKR 149.6K

3438.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$19.56 LKR 6,563

203.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.16 LKR 6,429

81.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$48.32 LKR 16.2K

138.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$26.85 LKR 9,008

211.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$181 LKR 60.7K

172.76%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Negombo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 173% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $202 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 204% 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 173% 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 $688 in Phuket versus $37.52 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $416 in Negombo versus $1,264 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 $416 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 204% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.