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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $515 in Weligama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $830 in Weligama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,144 in Weligama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 139% more expensive than in Weligama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Weligama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.29 LKR 1,420

2.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$25.43 LKR 8,408

26.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.56 LKR 2,501

18.12%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.52 LKR 833

15.08%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.68 LKR 225

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.27 LKR 89.5

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.29 LKR 756

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.06 LKR 1,013

21.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.62 LKR 537

15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.57 LKR 188

157.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.81 LKR 267

91.36%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.65 LKR 545

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$13.04 LKR 4,313

50.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.12 LKR 1,694

-33.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.07 LKR 2,337

60.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$6.81 LKR 2,251

-56.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.88 LKR 292

90.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.29 LKR 1,417

-48.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.23 LKR 406

75.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$0.99 LKR 327

53.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.80 LKR 264

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.88 LKR 290

28.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.49 LKR 162

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.20 LKR 3,374

-58.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$13.53 LKR 4,473

41.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.97 LKR 652

-9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.91 LKR 961

-4.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.42 LKR 139

621.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.35 LKR 115

191.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.92 LKR 305

322.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.35 LKR 446

10.37%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-28.50%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$40.8K LKR 13.5M

-33.67%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

84.43%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.10 LKR 1,356

176.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$21.14 LKR 6,990

-17.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.49 LKR 1,484

71.27%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

1369.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

844.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$19.94 LKR 6,592

216.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$16.77 LKR 5,544

76.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$78.7 LKR 26.0K

24.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$41.64 LKR 13.8K

112.54%

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 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 Weligama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Weligama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $237 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, Getting Around. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $773 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 $561 in Phuket versus $38.14 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 $25.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $515 in Weligama versus $1,232 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 139% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.