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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $406 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $645 in Fort Portal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $884 in Fort Portal, rent included.

Phuket costs about 211% more than Fort Portal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Fort Portal are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Fort Portal 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.74 UGX 10.3K

66.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$26.82 UGX 100.5K

73.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.73 UGX 32.7K

-2.98%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.85 UGX 10.7K

6.32%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.51 UGX 1,893

35.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.31 UGX 1,165

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.35 UGX 5,064

84.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.83 UGX 10.6K

29.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.34 UGX 1,289

541.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.86 UGX 3,240

120.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.14 UGX 4,258

92.98%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.42 UGX 5,309

56.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.44 UGX 16.6K

350.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.03 UGX 18.8K

-27.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$3.51 UGX 13.2K

277.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.68 UGX 10.1K

20.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.81 UGX 3,051

109.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.66 UGX 6,216

43.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.36 UGX 5,095

52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.57 UGX 5,902

1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.72 UGX 2,692

105.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.03 UGX 3,854

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.55 UGX 2,046

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.97 UGX 11.1K

43.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.21 UGX 19.5K

260.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.84 UGX 3,150

109.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.09 UGX 4,092

153.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.54 UGX 2,033

481.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.28 UGX 1,059

271.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.24 UGX 15.9K

224.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.37 UGX 5,145

-2.19%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$9,009 UGX 33.8M

207.20%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$8,914 UGX 33.4M

279.87%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$42.82 UGX 160.5K

188.63%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$14.37 UGX 53.8K

-5.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$44.08 UGX 165.2K

-57.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.23 UGX 23.3K

46.71%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$158 UGX 592.9K

344.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,290 UGX 16.1M

269.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$16.76 UGX 62.8K

254.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$14.42 UGX 54.1K

143.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$38.49 UGX 144.3K

199.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$47.26 UGX 177.1K

77.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Fort Portal: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Fort Portal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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 211% 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 $1,892 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 $47.00 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 114% 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 $1,261. 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 $1,261 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.