Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lira Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lira

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $428 in Lira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $687 in Lira, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $945 in Lira, rent included.

Phuket costs about 187% more than Lira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lira are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Lira 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

61.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$26.67 UGX 98.9K

75.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.65 UGX 32.1K

2.20%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.72 UGX 10.1K

10.29%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.27 UGX 997

174.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.27 UGX 992

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$0.86 UGX 3,174

183.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

27.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.70 UGX 2,586

222.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.24 UGX 4,613

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.39 UGX 5,162

61.15%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.75 UGX 6,505

32.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.41 UGX 16.4K

346.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.07 UGX 18.8K

-28.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

215.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.54 UGX 5,714

6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.74 UGX 6,469

38.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.55 UGX 5,731

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.57 UGX 5,820

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.87 UGX 6,922

-19.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.03 UGX 3,815

-0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.58 UGX 2,137

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.94 UGX 10.9K

51.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.62 UGX 35.7K

96.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.20 UGX 4,446

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.12 UGX 7,873

29.72%

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

$0.55 UGX 2,023

467.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.28 UGX 1,040

257.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.08 UGX 15.1K

245.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.51 UGX 5,606

-10.60%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$9,008 UGX 33.4M

201.76%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$8,897 UGX 33.0M

270.04%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$42.65 UGX 158.1K

193.04%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$14.12 UGX 52.3K

-3.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$43.11 UGX 159.8K

-57.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.34 UGX 23.5K

44.95%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$158 UGX 586.3K

341.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,304 UGX 16.0M

262.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$16.72 UGX 62.0K

245.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$14.35 UGX 53.2K

145.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$38.74 UGX 143.7K

191.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$47.14 UGX 174.8K

83.24%

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 Lira: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Lira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $170 – making Lira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 187%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $643 in Lira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $428 in Lira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $158 in Lira. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Lira, where all-in costs run around $428, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Lira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lira – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lira. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.