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 $430 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $676 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $922 in Masindi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 186% more expensive than in Masindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Masindi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.60 UGX 10.3K

69.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$26.44 UGX 104.1K

22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.75 UGX 30.5K

15.23%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.56 UGX 10.1K

13.28%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.39 UGX 1,544

125.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.28 UGX 1,099

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.30 UGX 5,117

80.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.86 UGX 7,340

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.84 UGX 3,308

122.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.01 UGX 3,964

45.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.39 UGX 5,488

11.51%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.57 UGX 6,164

33.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$4.78 UGX 18.8K

309.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.05 UGX 19.9K

-32.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$5.36 UGX 21.1K

112.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.17 UGX 8,557

37.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.21 UGX 4,782

38.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.35 UGX 5,322

63.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.29 UGX 5,079

67.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.27 UGX 4,988

19.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.38 UGX 5,447

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.84 UGX 3,295

34.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.53 UGX 2,078

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.58 UGX 10.2K

65.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$8.04 UGX 31.7K

137.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.04 UGX 4,078

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.01 UGX 7,896

38.31%

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

$0.56 UGX 2,189

441.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.35 UGX 1,359

191.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.34 UGX 13.2K

16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.43 UGX 5,625

4.20%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$8,082 UGX 31.8M

228.88%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$7,900 UGX 31.1M

242.15%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$75.6 UGX 297.5K

35.63%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$12.27 UGX 48.3K

-7.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$36.64 UGX 144.3K

-52.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$8.00 UGX 31.5K

-3.87%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$259 UGX 1.0M

116.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$8,447 UGX 33.3M

36.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$14.69 UGX 57.8K

329.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$14.12 UGX 55.6K

109.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$33.72 UGX 132.8K

190.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$47.15 UGX 185.7K

87.70%

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 Masindi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $157 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 186% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $645 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 74% 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 $430 in Masindi – a 186% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $430 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 186% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.