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: $1,190 in Phuket versus $409 in Iganga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $648 in Iganga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $887 in Iganga.

Living in Phuket is roughly 191% more expensive than in Iganga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Iganga 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$2.53 UGX 10.3K

71.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,091

$24.80 UGX 101.3K

30.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$7.61 UGX 31.1K

10.64%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.4

$2.63 UGX 10.8K

6.84%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$0.38 UGX 1,572

128.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.46

$0.28 UGX 1,144

64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.9

$1.27 UGX 5,189

103.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

$1.85 UGX 7,561

96.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.4

$0.79 UGX 3,230

116.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$0.88 UGX 3,575

64.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$1.36 UGX 5,572

14.71%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.6

$1.57 UGX 6,397

33.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿656

$4.38 UGX 17.9K

345.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$4.69 UGX 19.1K

-27.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿375

$5.00 UGX 20.4K

122.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.2

$2.19 UGX 8,927

29.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$1.29 UGX 5,277

25.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$1.30 UGX 5,297

70.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.2

$1.17 UGX 4,760

83.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.22 UGX 4,980

22.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.59

$1.21 UGX 4,948

9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.87

$0.79 UGX 3,215

35.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.08

$0.53 UGX 2,178

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$2.45 UGX 9,987

78.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿631

$7.59 UGX 31.0K

147.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

$1.06 UGX 4,328

64.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.3

$1.95 UGX 7,945

42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿749

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

$0.49 UGX 1,981

516.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.57

$0.32 UGX 1,326

231.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

$3.12 UGX 12.8K

18.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.08

$1.38 UGX 5,655

3.62%

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

$26.3K ฿885.8K

$7,518 UGX 30.7M

250.47%

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

$26.2K ฿881.0K

$7,389 UGX 30.2M

254.62%

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

$96.7 ฿3,250

$69.7 UGX 284.7K

38.66%

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

$11.41 ฿384

$11.95 UGX 48.8K

-4.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿575

$35.23 UGX 143.9K

-51.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,775

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿257

$7.53 UGX 30.8K

1.59%

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

$555 ฿18.7K

$255 UGX 1.0M

117.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.3K

$8,186 UGX 33.4M

37.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,132

$14.13 UGX 57.7K

348.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿962

$12.89 UGX 52.6K

121.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,252

$32.60 UGX 133.1K

196.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,979

$43.10 UGX 176.0K

105.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Iganga: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $25.00 in Iganga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $150 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 191% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $614 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 $555 in Phuket versus $255 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 $25.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $409 in Iganga versus $1,190 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 191% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.