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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $720 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,098 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,475 in Kampala.

Living in Phuket is roughly 76% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kampala 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$2.63 UGX 10.2K

77.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$26.64 UGX 102.9K

20.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$7.64 UGX 29.5K

13.61%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.61 UGX 10.1K

11.11%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.42 UGX 1,638

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.28 UGX 1,072

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.35 UGX 5,217

83.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.82 UGX 7,042

104.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.78 UGX 3,023

142.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.00 UGX 3,864

41.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.34 UGX 5,181

20.90%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.51 UGX 5,848

48.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$4.69 UGX 18.1K

323.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$5.09 UGX 19.6K

-31.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$5.30 UGX 20.5K

114.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.16 UGX 8,341

34.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.17 UGX 4,507

47.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.35 UGX 5,214

68.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.24 UGX 4,806

71.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.32 UGX 5,082

11.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.36 UGX 5,247

4.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.78 UGX 3,014

41.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.56 UGX 2,161

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.58 UGX 9,976

67.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$8.10 UGX 31.3K

129.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.08 UGX 4,172

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.98 UGX 7,652

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.82 UGX 3,165

174.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$46.24 UGX 178.6K

-49.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.55 UGX 2,132

463.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.32 UGX 1,226

237.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

19.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.41 UGX 5,452

1.42%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$7,845 UGX 30.3M

254.20%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$7,825 UGX 30.2M

244.83%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$74.2 UGX 286.6K

41.26%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$12.74 UGX 49.2K

-10.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$37.59 UGX 145.2K

-53.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$58.4 UGX 225.6K

-6.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$6.45 UGX 24.9K

77.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.84 UGX 30.3K

-0.77%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$257 UGX 992.8K

124.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,416 UGX 32.5M

37.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$14.99 UGX 57.9K

324.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$13.77 UGX 53.2K

111.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$33.79 UGX 130.6K

184.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$46.41 UGX 179.3K

93.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$523 UGX 2.0M

40.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$181 UGX 697.8K

177.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,149 UGX 4.4M

85.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$335 UGX 1.3M

273.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,250 UGX 4.8M

182.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$983 UGX 3.8M

166.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$190 UGX 735.2K

166.72%

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: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kampala: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $523 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 167% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $156 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. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 167% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $523 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $720 in Kampala versus $1,265 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 76% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.