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 $425 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $694 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $963 in Negombo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 190% more expensive than Negombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Negombo 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$3.92 LKR 1,247

18.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$18.09 LKR 5,763

158.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$8.20 LKR 2,611

7.80%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$1.43 LKR 455

109.79%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$0.68 LKR 216

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$0.37 LKR 118

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$1.95 LKR 623

25.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$3.44 LKR 1,096

4.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.48 LKR 471

52.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$0.48 LKR 152

283.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$0.87 LKR 278

157.47%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$2.21 LKR 704

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$14.25 LKR 4,539

38.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.54 LKR 1,448

-19.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$5.68 LKR 1,808

130.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$2.06 LKR 657

64.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$0.75 LKR 240

118.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$2.46 LKR 783

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$1.19 LKR 380

70.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$0.85 LKR 272

83.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$0.89 LKR 284

68.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$0.98 LKR 314

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.57 LKR 181

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$8.78 LKR 2,797

-49.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$12.46 LKR 3,969

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$2.10 LKR 670

-15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$2.95 LKR 941

-6.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$0.32 LKR 101

337.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$0.38 LKR 123

721.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$0.30 LKR 96.9

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$0.61 LKR 196

2209.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$1.25 LKR 399

8.00%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

-0.31%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-6.43%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$30.45 LKR 9,701

310.44%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$4.30 LKR 1,370

215.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$14.93 LKR 4,757

24.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$13.14 LKR 4,188

367.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$10.09 LKR 3,214

66.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$2.37 LKR 756

287.76%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$36.48 LKR 11.6K

1814.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$442 LKR 140.8K

3427.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$19.03 LKR 6,062

203.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$19.75 LKR 6,292

78.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$49.01 LKR 15.6K

130.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$26.52 LKR 8,450

225.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$190 LKR 60.7K

174.98%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Negombo: April 26, 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 $201 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 190% 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 $698 in Phuket versus $36.48 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 $425 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 $425 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 190% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.