🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $716 in Weligama versus $1,264 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $911 in Weligama versus $2,256 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,106 in Weligama versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Weligama costs roughly 43% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Weligama46% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.92LKR 1,315
$4.48฿150
-12.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.33LKR 4,474
$45.59฿1,521
-70.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.77LKR 1,937
$8.76฿292
-34.13%
Cappuccino
$2.64LKR 884
$2.97฿99.0
-11.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74LKR 248
$0.69฿22.90
7.25%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37LKR 126
$0.39฿13.04
-5.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.37LKR 796
$2.53฿84.4
-6.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38LKR 1,133
$3.75฿125
-9.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68LKR 564
$2.15฿71.6
-21.86%
White Bread(500g)
$0.32LKR 106
$1.82฿60.6
-82.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.85LKR 285
$2.18฿72.9
-61.01%
Eggs
$2.11LKR 707
$2.25฿75.0
-6.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.92LKR 4,671
$20.00฿667
-30.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.54LKR 1,523
$3.63฿121
25.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.22LKR 2,759
$13.56฿452
-39.38%
Apples(1kg)
$7.43LKR 2,493
$3.24฿108
129.32%
Banana(1kg)
$0.75LKR 252
$1.64฿54.6
-54.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.73LKR 1,922
$2.33฿77.8
145.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.26LKR 421
$2.07฿69.1
-39.13%
Potato(1kg)
$1.11LKR 374
$1.55฿51.6
-28.39%
Onion(1kg)
$0.48LKR 162
$1.46฿48.54
-67.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20LKR 401
$0.98฿32.86
22.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56LKR 189
$0.48฿16.09
16.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.25LKR 3,439
$4.35฿145
135.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.54LKR 4,206
$18.57฿620
-32.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00LKR 670
$1.86฿61.9
7.53%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97LKR 996
$2.65฿88.6
12.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.42฿47.28
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.57฿386
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.39LKR 131
$3.17฿106
-87.70%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.36LKR 119
$1.03฿34.41
-65.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.58LKR 193
$13.89฿463
-95.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.24LKR 417
$1.34฿44.84
-7.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6KLKR 8.9M
$27.8K฿927.1K
-4.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7KLKR 11.6M
$33.4K฿1.1M
3.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$61.1LKR 20.5K
$123฿4,105
-50.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.27LKR 1,099
$13.77฿459
-76.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.27LKR 5,123
$18.33฿611
-16.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.7฿2,025
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16฿573
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.40LKR 1,141
$8.87฿296
-61.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$37.18LKR 12.5K
$688฿22.9K
-94.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$436LKR 146.3K
$15.8K฿526.4K
-97.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.89LKR 9,360
$59.3฿1,978
-52.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.45LKR 6,527
$34.69฿1,157
-43.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.8LKR 23.4K
$115฿3,843
-39.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.23LKR 13.2K
$83.8฿2,794
-53.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$621฿20.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$220LKR 74.0K
$446฿14.9K
-50.59%
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
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
16.45
5.33
208.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Weligama: July 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $13.00 in Weligama vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $291 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
Weligama vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Weligama?
Weligama is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,074 in Weligama and $1,896 in Phuket 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $37.18 in Weligama versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Weligama or in Phuket?
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.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Weligama or in Phuket?
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.
Is Weligama or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Weligama or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Weligama and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
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.