Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gulu and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $113 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Gulu

🇺🇬 Uganda

$113

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gulu and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gulu and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $113 in Gulu versus $1,208 in Phuket.

Gulu $113
Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $165 in Gulu versus $2,027 in Phuket.

Gulu $165
Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $217 in Gulu versus $2,845 in Phuket.

Gulu $217
Phuket $2,845

Living in Gulu costs roughly 91% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gulu 92% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.22 UGX 5,036

$4.40 ฿147

-72.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 UGX 44.5K

$8.76 ฿293

23.40%

Cappuccino

$2.38 UGX 9,787

$2.83 ฿94.5

-15.90%

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

$0.25 UGX 1,032

$0.90 ฿30.14

-72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 UGX 452

$0.47 ฿15.56

-76.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 UGX 2,844

$2.55 ฿85.2

-72.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

$3.83 ฿128

-35.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 UGX 3,896

$2.26 ฿75.6

-57.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.33 UGX 116.5K

$22.10 ฿738

28.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 UGX 5,138

$1.45 ฿48.45

-13.79%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

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

$11.04 ฿369

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Gulu: October 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Gulu

–

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Groceries & Markets

Gulu

–

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gulu

–

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Gulu

–

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Eating Out

Gulu

–

Phuket

$121 10%

Sport & Entertainment

Gulu

–

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Getting Around

Gulu

–

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Good to know

🇺🇬 Gulu

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

14:37 2:37 PM

18:37 6:37 PM

4 h ahead of Gulu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,276

79,308

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇬 Ugandan Shilling (Sh)

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4,113 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD). 1 EUR = 4,624 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to UGX in detail →

On the map

Lowest

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Between locations

Gulu Phuket 7,330 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Gulu
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Gulu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gulu is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and groceries. The 972% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $169 in Gulu and $1,813 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.

A monthly transit pass in Gulu runs roughly 28% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $113 per month in Gulu versus $1,208 in Phuket – a 972% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $113 in Gulu versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gulu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Gulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gulu 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, Gulu 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.

Expats usually find Gulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 972% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.