🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $515 in Weligama versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $830 in Weligama versus $2,054 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,144 in Weligama versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Weligama costs roughly 58% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Weligama62% lower, Phuket10% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.29LKR 1,420
$4.41฿147
-2.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.43LKR 8,408
$32.26฿1,074
-21.17%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.56LKR 2,501
$8.93฿297
-15.34%
Cappuccino
$2.52LKR 833
$2.90฿96.4
-13.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68LKR 225
$0.88฿29.30
-22.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27LKR 89.5
$0.48฿16.01
-43.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.29LKR 756
$2.35฿78.3
-2.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06LKR 1,013
$3.72฿124
-17.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62LKR 537
$1.87฿62.1
-13.37%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57LKR 188
$1.47฿48.81
-61.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.81LKR 267
$1.55฿51.7
-47.74%
Eggs
$1.65LKR 545
$2.10฿70.0
-21.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.04LKR 4,313
$19.59฿652
-33.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.12LKR 1,694
$3.42฿114
49.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.07LKR 2,337
$11.38฿379
-37.87%
Apples(1kg)
$6.81LKR 2,251
$2.98฿99.3
128.52%
Banana(1kg)
$0.88LKR 292
$1.68฿56.1
-47.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.29LKR 1,417
$2.21฿73.5
94.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.23LKR 406
$2.16฿72.0
-43.06%
Potato(1kg)
$0.99LKR 327
$1.52฿50.8
-34.87%
Onion(1kg)
$0.80LKR 264
$1.34฿44.55
-40.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.88LKR 290
$1.13฿37.57
-22.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49LKR 162
$0.55฿18.19
-10.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.20LKR 3,374
$4.26฿142
139.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.53LKR 4,473
$19.09฿635
-29.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97LKR 652
$1.78฿59.2
10.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91LKR 961
$2.78฿92.6
4.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.23฿74.2
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿757
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.42LKR 139
$3.03฿101
-86.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35LKR 115
$1.02฿34.06
-65.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.92LKR 305
$3.89฿130
-76.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35LKR 446
$1.49฿49.63
-9.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.2KLKR 12.3M
$26.6K฿884.9K
39.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.8KLKR 13.5M
$27.0K฿899.8K
50.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$55.6LKR 18.4K
$102฿3,411
-45.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.10LKR 1,356
$11.33฿377
-63.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.14LKR 6,990
$17.40฿579
21.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$52.1฿1,734
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿369
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.49LKR 1,484
$7.69฿256
-41.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$38.14LKR 12.6K
$561฿18.7K
-93.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,218LKR 402.6K
$11.5K฿383.0K
-89.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.94LKR 6,592
$63.0฿2,098
-68.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.77LKR 5,544
$29.52฿983
-43.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.7LKR 26.0K
$98.0฿3,263
-19.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.64LKR 13.8K
$88.5฿2,946
-52.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
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
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Weligama
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
12.69
5.57
127.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Weligama: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $25.00 in Weligama vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $274 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 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $773 in Weligama and $1,847 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 $38.14 in Weligama versus $561 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 $25.00 versus $32.00 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 $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.
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 139% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.