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 $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $402 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $648 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $895 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Phuket costs about 214% more than Fort Portal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Fort Portal are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Fort Portal 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$26.77 UGX 100.2K

70.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.67 UGX 32.5K

1.04%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.87 UGX 10.7K

3.48%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.47 UGX 1,775

46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.31 UGX 1,169

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.41 UGX 5,264

79.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.74 UGX 10.2K

36.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.32 UGX 1,189

571.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.82 UGX 3,066

121.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.08 UGX 4,051

101.85%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.42 UGX 5,310

58.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.40 UGX 16.5K

354.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.04 UGX 18.9K

-27.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$3.71 UGX 13.9K

265.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.78 UGX 10.4K

16.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.81 UGX 3,016

102.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.67 UGX 6,265

39.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.37 UGX 5,122

51.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.57 UGX 5,892

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.68 UGX 2,562

114.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.02 UGX 3,807

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.53 UGX 1,994

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.98 UGX 11.2K

45.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$5.27 UGX 19.7K

252.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.82 UGX 3,068

126.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.12 UGX 4,211

136.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.58 UGX 2,154

446.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.26 UGX 960

296.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$4.08 UGX 15.3K

240.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.43 UGX 5,342

-6.29%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$9,146 UGX 34.2M

203.84%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$8,828 UGX 33.1M

278.14%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$41.55 UGX 155.6K

196.15%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$14.11 UGX 52.8K

-2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$43.62 UGX 163.3K

-57.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.21 UGX 23.2K

42.83%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$158 UGX 592.5K

334.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,376 UGX 16.4M

260.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$17.04 UGX 63.8K

248.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$14.02 UGX 52.5K

147.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$38.75 UGX 145.1K

197.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$46.17 UGX 172.9K

81.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

20.8

-74.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Fort Portal: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Fort Portal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $137 – 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 214% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $603 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $27.00 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 $402, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $402 versus $1,264 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.