Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gulu

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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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Gulu

🇺🇬 Uganda

$113

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Gulu

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

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

Phuket $1,208
Gulu $113

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

Phuket $2,027
Gulu $165

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

Phuket $2,845
Gulu $217

Living in Phuket is roughly 972% more expensive than in Gulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$1.22 UGX 5,036

260.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$10.81 UGX 44.5K

-18.96%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$2.38 UGX 9,787

18.91%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$0.25 UGX 1,032

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.11 UGX 452

327.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$0.69 UGX 2,844

269.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$2.48 UGX 10.2K

54.44%

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)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$0.95 UGX 3,896

137.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

$28.33 UGX 116.5K

-21.99%

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)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$1.25 UGX 5,138

16.00%

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 Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Gulu: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Gulu

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Gulu

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Gulu

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Gulu

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Gulu

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Gulu

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Gulu

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇬 Gulu

🕒 Local time

21:17 9:17 PM

17:17 5:17 PM

4 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

152,276

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 UGX = 2.43 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.16 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

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).

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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Gulu 7,330 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Gulu

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

Phuket vs Gulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $169 in Gulu 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 $1,208 per month in Phuket versus $113 in Gulu – 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, Phuket and Gulu 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.