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 $740 in Weligama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $926 in Weligama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,111 in Weligama.

Living in Phuket is roughly 66% more expensive than Weligama, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Weligama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$4.01 LKR 1,277

15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$13.42 LKR 4,275

249.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$5.92 LKR 1,885

49.32%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$2.62 LKR 835

14.50%

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

$0.40 LKR 128

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$2.35 LKR 749

3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$3.42 LKR 1,090

5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.71 LKR 544

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$0.34 LKR 108

441.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$0.88 LKR 280

154.55%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$2.22 LKR 708

4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$14.33 LKR 4,566

37.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.79 LKR 1,526

-23.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$8.18 LKR 2,606

60.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$7.54 LKR 2,401

-55.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$0.76 LKR 242

115.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$5.70 LKR 1,816

-57.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$1.26 LKR 402

61.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$1.11 LKR 352

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$0.49 LKR 155

206.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$1.20 LKR 383

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$0.59 LKR 189

-16.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$9.94 LKR 3,166

-55.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$12.34 LKR 3,932

53.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$2.03 LKR 647

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$2.88 LKR 916

-4.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$0.41 LKR 132

660.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$0.35 LKR 113

185.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$0.57 LKR 181

2371.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$1.21 LKR 387

11.57%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

-0.15%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-6.46%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$59.8 LKR 19.0K

109.10%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$3.43 LKR 1,091

295.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$15.08 LKR 4,805

22.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$3.31 LKR 1,053

177.64%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$37.44 LKR 11.9K

1764.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$439 LKR 139.9K

3450.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$27.42 LKR 8,737

110.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$19.28 LKR 6,143

82.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$70.2 LKR 22.4K

61.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$38.59 LKR 12.3K

123.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$220 LKR 70.0K

103.08%

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

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 Weligama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $13.00 in Weligama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $253 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 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,111 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 $698 in Phuket versus $37.44 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $740 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 66% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.