Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lugazi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lugazi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $438 in Lugazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $691 in Lugazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $943 in Lugazi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 181% more than Lugazi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lugazi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Lugazi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.62 UGX 10.3K

68.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$25.99 UGX 102.4K

24.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.50 UGX 29.5K

19.07%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

9.85%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.43 UGX 1,680

104.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.30 UGX 1,188

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.30 UGX 5,129

80.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.89 UGX 7,438

96.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.79 UGX 3,107

136.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.95 UGX 3,725

54.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.36 UGX 5,366

13.97%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.53 UGX 6,026

37.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$4.80 UGX 18.9K

308.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.86 UGX 19.1K

-29.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$5.18 UGX 20.4K

119.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.14 UGX 8,446

39.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.18 UGX 4,635

42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.39 UGX 5,463

58.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.30 UGX 5,107

66.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.31 UGX 5,140

16.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.38 UGX 5,444

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.79 UGX 3,120

43.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.55 UGX 2,181

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.64 UGX 10.4K

61.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$7.71 UGX 30.4K

147.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.05 UGX 4,128

69.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.98 UGX 7,795

40.40%

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

$0.51 UGX 2,027

494.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.35 UGX 1,364

191.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.26 UGX 12.8K

19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.43 UGX 5,614

4.20%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$7,984 UGX 31.4M

232.93%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$8,083 UGX 31.8M

234.39%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$75.2 UGX 295.9K

36.35%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$12.71 UGX 50.0K

-10.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$36.90 UGX 145.3K

-52.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$8.06 UGX 31.7K

-4.59%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$259 UGX 1.0M

116.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$8,566 UGX 33.7M

34.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$15.01 UGX 59.1K

319.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$14.08 UGX 55.5K

109.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$34.73 UGX 136.8K

182.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$47.05 UGX 185.3K

88.10%

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 Lugazi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Lugazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $154 – making Lugazi 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 Lugazi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 181% more than Lugazi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $657 in Lugazi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $26.00 in Lugazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lugazi, where all-in costs run around $438, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Lugazi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lugazi costs $438 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Lugazi. 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.