Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masindi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $438 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $704 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $970 in Masindi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 181% more expensive than Masindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Masindi 67% 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

$26.64 UGX 98.8K

75.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.57 UGX 31.8K

3.15%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.84 UGX 10.5K

5.63%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.50 UGX 1,866

48.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.29 UGX 1,057

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.37 UGX 5,065

78.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.71 UGX 10.0K

33.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.76 UGX 2,826

197.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.25 UGX 4,645

47.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.39 UGX 5,149

61.15%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.81 UGX 6,713

28.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

363.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.14 UGX 19.0K

-28.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.32 UGX 16.0K

203.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.78 UGX 10.3K

21.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.47 UGX 5,451

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.73 UGX 6,431

39.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.54 UGX 5,726

31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.57 UGX 5,827

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.91 UGX 7,084

-21.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.02 UGX 3,799

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.58 UGX 2,157

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.91 UGX 10.8K

52.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.51 UGX 35.3K

98.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.23 UGX 4,552

44.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.13 UGX 7,882

29.11%

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

$0.54 UGX 1,995

477.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.26 UGX 952

284.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.29 UGX 15.9K

228.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.44 UGX 5,330

-6.25%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$9,174 UGX 34.0M

196.31%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$8,843 UGX 32.8M

272.30%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$42.70 UGX 158.3K

192.69%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$14.10 UGX 52.3K

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$44.23 UGX 164.0K

-58.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.21 UGX 23.0K

47.99%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$162 UGX 602.4K

329.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,292 UGX 15.9M

263.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$17.05 UGX 63.2K

238.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$14.49 UGX 53.7K

143.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$39.34 UGX 145.9K

187.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$46.96 UGX 174.1K

83.94%

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 Masindi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $171 per month, with Masindi cheaper across the board.

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 Masindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masindi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 181% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $657 in Masindi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 71% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $438 in Masindi – a 181% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $438 in Masindi versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masindi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Masindi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Masindi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Masindi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Masindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 181% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.