Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fort Portal Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Fort Portal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $406 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $635 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $864 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Phuket costs about 203% more than Fort Portal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Fort Portal are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Fort Portal 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.67 UGX 10.5K

65.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$26.03 UGX 102.5K

23.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.81 UGX 30.7K

14.34%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

9.85%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.39 UGX 1,538

125.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.28 UGX 1,098

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.33 UGX 5,251

76.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.87 UGX 7,346

98.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.31 UGX 1,208

503.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.76 UGX 2,990

93.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.08 UGX 4,253

43.52%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.28 UGX 5,043

64.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$4.66 UGX 18.4K

320.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

-32.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$3.39 UGX 13.4K

235.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.16 UGX 8,520

37.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.76 UGX 2,998

121.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.39 UGX 5,485

58.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.28 UGX 5,043

68.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.32 UGX 5,190

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.68 UGX 2,686

97.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.84 UGX 3,308

34.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.51 UGX 2,027

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.63 UGX 10.4K

61.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$5.45 UGX 21.5K

250.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$0.77 UGX 3,052

131.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.04 UGX 4,097

167.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.56 UGX 2,187

441.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.34 UGX 1,341

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.23 UGX 12.7K

20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.35 UGX 5,325

10.37%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$7,827 UGX 30.8M

239.63%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$8,091 UGX 31.9M

234.08%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

35.02%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$12.40 UGX 48.8K

-8.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$37.36 UGX 147.1K

-53.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$8.10 UGX 31.9K

-5.06%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$263 UGX 1.0M

113.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$8,692 UGX 34.2M

32.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$15.15 UGX 59.6K

316.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$14.11 UGX 55.6K

109.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$34.19 UGX 134.6K

186.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$46.35 UGX 182.5K

90.94%

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

20.75

-73.16%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Fort Portal: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Fort Portal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $129 – making Fort Portal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Fort Portal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 203% more than Fort Portal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $609 in Fort Portal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $26.00 in Fort Portal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 113% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fort Portal, where all-in costs run around $406, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Fort Portal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fort Portal costs $406 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Portal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.