Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iganga Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iganga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $431 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $705 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $980 in Iganga.

Living in Phuket is roughly 186% more expensive than Iganga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Iganga 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

70.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$26.14 UGX 96.9K

79.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.47 UGX 31.4K

4.37%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

4.90%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.47 UGX 1,758

57.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.29 UGX 1,057

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.40 UGX 5,202

74.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

26.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.70 UGX 2,589

222.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.20 UGX 4,434

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.40 UGX 5,175

60.00%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.77 UGX 6,570

31.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.28 UGX 15.9K

359.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.02 UGX 18.6K

-27.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.34 UGX 16.1K

201.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.70 UGX 10.0K

25.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.47 UGX 5,466

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.74 UGX 6,458

38.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.59 UGX 5,884

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.64 UGX 6,085

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.90 UGX 7,055

-21.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.07 UGX 3,962

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.57 UGX 2,123

-14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.84 UGX 10.5K

56.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.56 UGX 35.5K

97.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.24 UGX 4,610

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.15 UGX 7,980

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.58 UGX 2,137

437.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.26 UGX 964

284.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.27 UGX 15.8K

229.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.49 UGX 5,520

-9.40%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$8,958 UGX 33.2M

203.46%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$8,660 UGX 32.1M

280.16%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$41.44 UGX 153.7K

201.59%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$14.22 UGX 52.7K

-4.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$44.58 UGX 165.3K

-58.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.20 UGX 23.0K

48.23%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$164 UGX 608.7K

325.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,352 UGX 16.1M

258.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$16.97 UGX 62.9K

240.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$14.53 UGX 53.9K

142.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$38.09 UGX 141.2K

196.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$46.66 UGX 173.0K

85.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Iganga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Iganga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $169 per month, with Iganga cheaper across the board.

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 Iganga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iganga is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 186% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $647 in Iganga 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.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $164 in Iganga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Iganga – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $431 in Iganga versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iganga but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Iganga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Iganga 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 Iganga 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 Iganga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 186% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.