Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $753 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,118 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,483 in Kampala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 66% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kampala 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

66.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

71.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

11.68%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.47 UGX 1,742

55.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.31 UGX 1,153

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.36 UGX 5,041

78.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

34.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.71 UGX 2,617

218.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.25 UGX 4,629

44.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.34 UGX 4,944

67.91%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.76 UGX 6,501

27.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

349.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

-25.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

208.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

18.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.51 UGX 5,598

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.66 UGX 6,126

43.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.58 UGX 5,827

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.64 UGX 6,073

-6.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.94 UGX 7,194

-22.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.07 UGX 3,955

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.53 UGX 1,973

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

50.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

112.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.18 UGX 4,351

57.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.11 UGX 7,816

27.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.79 UGX 2,937

78.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

-71.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.55 UGX 2,029

465.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.28 UGX 1,037

271.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

232.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.43 UGX 5,285

-8.39%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

212.22%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

285.48%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

188.50%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

-6.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

-56.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

24.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

128.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

47.48%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$164 UGX 605.5K

331.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

272.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

238.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

144.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

203.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

81.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$402 UGX 1.5M

55.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$225 UGX 831.5K

98.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$987 UGX 3.6M

106.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$337 UGX 1.2M

343.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

177.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

157.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$192 UGX 710.4K

160.24%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $402 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 160% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $166 per month, with Kampala 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 Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 160% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $402 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala 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 Kampala 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 Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.