🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Weligama versus $1,223 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $919 in Weligama versus $2,237 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,104 in Weligama versus $3,251 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Weligama costs roughly 40% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Weligama45% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.11LKR 1,370
$4.51฿147
-8.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.47LKR 4,487
$46.62฿1,515
-71.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.01LKR 2,002
$8.49฿276
-29.21%
Cappuccino
$2.62LKR 872
$3.08฿100
-14.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69LKR 231
$0.68฿22.07
1.47%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37LKR 124
$0.36฿11.75
2.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.37LKR 790
$2.43฿78.8
-2.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28LKR 1,091
$3.63฿118
-9.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.66LKR 552
$2.19฿71.1
-24.20%
White Bread(500g)
$0.32LKR 106
$1.81฿59.0
-82.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.83LKR 276
$2.23฿72.5
-62.78%
Eggs
$2.16LKR 718
$2.24฿72.7
-3.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.21LKR 4,732
$19.60฿637
-27.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.79LKR 1,596
$3.72฿121
28.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.11LKR 2,699
$13.47฿438
-39.79%
Apples(1kg)
$7.69LKR 2,561
$3.36฿109
128.87%
Banana(1kg)
$0.80LKR 266
$1.62฿52.5
-50.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.78LKR 1,923
$2.41฿78.3
139.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.25LKR 416
$1.99฿64.6
-37.19%
Potato(1kg)
$1.16LKR 385
$1.53฿49.76
-24.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.48LKR 160
$1.45฿47.19
-66.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.16LKR 386
$1.01฿32.96
14.85%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57LKR 189
$0.48฿15.73
18.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.98LKR 3,325
$4.27฿139
133.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.01LKR 4,333
$19.12฿621
-31.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09LKR 697
$1.84฿59.7
13.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83LKR 941
$2.74฿89.1
3.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.42฿46.06
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.72฿381
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.41LKR 137
$3.00฿97.6
-86.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.32LKR 108
$1.05฿34.00
-69.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.60LKR 200
$13.90฿452
-95.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26LKR 420
$1.29฿41.94
-2.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3KLKR 9.1M
$28.0K฿911.1K
-2.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0KLKR 11.6M
$33.5K฿1.1M
4.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$59.9LKR 19.9K
$122฿3,964
-50.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.41LKR 1,135
$13.93฿453
-75.52%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.18LKR 5,054
$18.87฿613
-19.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.3฿1,992
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿547
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.36LKR 1,120
$8.89฿289
-62.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$36.70LKR 12.2K
$691฿22.5K
-94.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$446LKR 148.6K
$16.2K฿525.2K
-97.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$28.03LKR 9,336
$57.8฿1,878
-51.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.02LKR 6,335
$35.39฿1,150
-46.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.7LKR 23.2K
$113฿3,685
-38.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.38LKR 13.1K
$83.0฿2,698
-52.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$607฿19.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$215LKR 71.7K
$448฿14.6K
-51.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,029฿66.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,493฿48.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,585฿116.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,585฿84.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$505฿16.4K
-
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: June 16, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $13.00 in Weligama vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $253 vs $292 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 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,101 in Weligama and $1,835 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 $36.70 in Weligama versus $691 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 Phuket?
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.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Weligama or Phuket?
At $734 in Weligama versus $1,223 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 67% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.