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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $438 in Lugazi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $703 in Lugazi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $967 in Lugazi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 179% more than Lugazi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lugazi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Lugazi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

65.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$26.69 UGX 98.8K

74.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.57 UGX 31.7K

-0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$2.71 UGX 10.0K

13.65%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$0.47 UGX 1,748

44.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.31 UGX 1,165

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.43 UGX 5,285

69.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.82 UGX 10.5K

28.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.70 UGX 2,581

212.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.21 UGX 4,468

49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.38 UGX 5,116

61.59%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$1.77 UGX 6,564

26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$4.29 UGX 15.9K

356.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

-23.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$4.32 UGX 16.0K

211.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$2.69 UGX 9,946

24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.49 UGX 5,499

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.68 UGX 6,207

43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.60 UGX 5,929

24.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.57 UGX 5,814

-2.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$1.92 UGX 7,119

-24.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$1.06 UGX 3,914

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.53 UGX 1,978

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.89 UGX 10.7K

47.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$9.52 UGX 35.3K

100.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.23 UGX 4,568

49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.14 UGX 7,910

28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.55 UGX 2,022

445.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.26 UGX 951

303.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$4.09 UGX 15.1K

239.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.45 UGX 5,363

-11.03%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$9,146 UGX 33.9M

206.52%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$8,716 UGX 32.3M

284.40%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$41.45 UGX 153.4K

194.28%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$14.49 UGX 53.6K

-3.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$43.32 UGX 160.4K

-56.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$6.29 UGX 23.3K

41.34%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$163 UGX 603.1K

324.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$4,380 UGX 16.2M

268.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$17.18 UGX 63.6K

236.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$14.03 UGX 51.9K

152.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$38.38 UGX 142.1K

195.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$47.11 UGX 174.4K

76.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Lugazi: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Lugazi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $168 – 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 179% 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 $1,835 per month in Phuket and $658 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 $47.00 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 74% 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 $1,223. 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 $1,223 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.