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 $425 in Lira, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $679 in Lira, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $934 in Lira, rent included.

Phuket costs about 190% more than Lira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lira are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Lira 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.58 UGX 10.2K

70.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$26.40 UGX 104.0K

22.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.71 UGX 30.3K

15.82%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.61 UGX 10.3K

11.11%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.25 UGX 983

252.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.25 UGX 982

92.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$0.77 UGX 3,034

205.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.81 UGX 7,117

105.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.85 UGX 3,359

120.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.03 UGX 4,043

42.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.39 UGX 5,478

11.51%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.53 UGX 6,034

37.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$4.67 UGX 18.4K

319.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

-32.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$5.13 UGX 20.2K

121.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.18 UGX 8,585

36.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.22 UGX 4,811

37.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.39 UGX 5,457

58.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.25 UGX 4,917

72.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.26 UGX 4,974

20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.40 UGX 5,508

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.86 UGX 3,379

31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.52 UGX 2,067

5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

61.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$8.00 UGX 31.5K

138.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.04 UGX 4,106

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.08 UGX 8,178

33.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.50 UGX 1,984

506.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.32 UGX 1,243

218.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.36 UGX 13.2K

15.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.40 UGX 5,527

6.43%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$7,911 UGX 31.2M

236.01%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$7,925 UGX 31.2M

241.05%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$75.9 UGX 298.9K

35.02%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$12.34 UGX 48.6K

-8.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$38.06 UGX 149.9K

-54.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.77 UGX 30.6K

-1.03%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$262 UGX 1.0M

113.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$8,518 UGX 33.5M

35.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$14.93 UGX 58.8K

322.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$13.82 UGX 54.4K

113.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$34.96 UGX 137.7K

180.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$46.61 UGX 183.6K

89.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 15, 2026

Last update for Lira: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Lira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $157 – 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 190%, 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 $638 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 $425 in Lira. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $262 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 $425, 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.