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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $430 in Lugazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $692 in Lugazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $953 in Lugazi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 194% more than Lugazi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lugazi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Lugazi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.70 UGX 10.1K

65.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$26.76 UGX 100.2K

70.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.38 UGX 31.4K

4.53%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

3.85%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.50 UGX 1,880

38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.31 UGX 1,166

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.35 UGX 5,056

87.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

35.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.76 UGX 2,839

182.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.24 UGX 4,659

46.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.34 UGX 5,005

62.69%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.77 UGX 6,618

27.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.39 UGX 16.5K

355.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$4.97 UGX 18.6K

-26.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$4.35 UGX 16.3K

211.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

17.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.46 UGX 5,455

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.69 UGX 6,315

37.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.58 UGX 5,914

31.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.66 UGX 6,206

-6.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.93 UGX 7,219

-24.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.07 UGX 4,010

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.57 UGX 2,149

-15.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.86 UGX 10.7K

52.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.91 UGX 29.6K

134.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.20 UGX 4,482

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.04 UGX 7,642

29.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.59 UGX 2,200

437.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.28 UGX 1,054

267.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$4.23 UGX 15.9K

228.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.46 UGX 5,466

-8.22%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$9,099 UGX 34.1M

205.44%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$8,613 UGX 32.2M

287.59%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$42.80 UGX 160.3K

187.50%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$14.42 UGX 54.0K

-4.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$44.61 UGX 167.0K

-58.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.22 UGX 23.3K

42.60%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$162 UGX 606.7K

324.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,307 UGX 16.1M

266.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$17.14 UGX 64.2K

245.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$14.45 UGX 54.1K

140.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$38.67 UGX 144.8K

197.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$46.17 UGX 172.9K

81.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Lugazi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Lugazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $167 – 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 194% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $646 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $27.00 in Lugazi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 75% 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 $430, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $430 versus $1,264 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.