Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Weligama Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Weligama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $716 in Weligama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $911 in Weligama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,106 in Weligama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 77% more expensive than in Weligama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Weligama 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.92 LKR 1,315

14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$13.33 LKR 4,474

242.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$5.77 LKR 1,937

51.82%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.64 LKR 884

12.50%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.74 LKR 248

-6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.37 LKR 126

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.37 LKR 796

6.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.38 LKR 1,133

10.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.68 LKR 564

27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.32 LKR 106

468.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.85 LKR 285

156.47%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.11 LKR 707

6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$13.92 LKR 4,671

43.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.54 LKR 1,523

-20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$8.22 LKR 2,759

64.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$7.43 LKR 2,493

-56.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.75 LKR 252

118.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$5.73 LKR 1,922

-59.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.26 LKR 421

64.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.11 LKR 374

39.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.48 LKR 162

204.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.20 LKR 401

-18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.56 LKR 189

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$10.25 LKR 3,439

-57.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$12.54 LKR 4,206

48.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.00 LKR 670

-7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.97 LKR 996

-10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.39 LKR 131

712.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.36 LKR 119

186.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$0.58 LKR 193

2294.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.24 LKR 417

8.06%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

4.62%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

-3.83%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$61.1 LKR 20.5K

101.33%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$3.27 LKR 1,099

321.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.27 LKR 5,123

20.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$3.40 LKR 1,141

160.88%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$37.18 LKR 12.5K

1750.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$436 LKR 146.3K

3519.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$27.89 LKR 9,360

112.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$19.45 LKR 6,527

78.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

65.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$39.23 LKR 13.2K

113.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$220 LKR 74.0K

102.38%

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

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 Weligama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in Weligama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $249 per month, with Weligama 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 Weligama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Weligama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,074 in Weligama to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $37.18 in Weligama. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Weligama – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $716 in Weligama versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Weligama but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Weligama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Weligama 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Weligama 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 Weligama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.