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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $428 in Masindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $693 in Masindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $958 in Masindi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 195% more expensive than in Masindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Masindi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

64.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$26.09 UGX 97.7K

74.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.53 UGX 31.9K

2.70%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.85 UGX 10.7K

4.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.47 UGX 1,772

46.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.29 UGX 1,067

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.38 UGX 5,166

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.80 UGX 10.5K

33.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.72 UGX 2,690

198.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.26 UGX 4,710

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.37 UGX 5,131

59.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.82 UGX 6,818

23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$4.21 UGX 15.8K

375.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.09 UGX 19.1K

-28.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$4.20 UGX 15.7K

222.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.81 UGX 10.5K

15.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.47 UGX 5,485

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.66 UGX 6,204

40.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.60 UGX 5,998

29.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.65 UGX 6,174

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.93 UGX 7,234

-24.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.07 UGX 4,008

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.55 UGX 2,045

-12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.95 UGX 11.0K

47.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.76 UGX 29.1K

139.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.23 UGX 4,592

51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.15 UGX 8,042

23.26%

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

$0.53 UGX 2,000

498.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.26 UGX 965

296.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$4.11 UGX 15.4K

237.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.44 UGX 5,402

-6.94%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$9,136 UGX 34.2M

204.18%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$8,929 UGX 33.4M

273.86%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$41.60 UGX 155.8K

195.79%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$14.39 UGX 53.9K

-4.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$43.08 UGX 161.3K

-57.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.37 UGX 23.8K

39.25%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$159 UGX 595.4K

332.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,344 UGX 16.3M

263.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$17.13 UGX 64.2K

246.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$14.41 UGX 54.0K

140.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$38.59 UGX 144.5K

198.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$47.10 UGX 176.4K

77.83%

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 Masindi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $26.00 in Masindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $166 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 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $642 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 75% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $428 in Masindi – a 195% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $428 in Masindi versus $1,264 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 195% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.