Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mbarara Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mbarara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $542 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $869 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,196 in Mbarara, rent included.

Phuket costs about 126% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mbarara are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mbarara 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$2.71 UGX 9,884

66.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$26.17 UGX 95.5K

78.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$8.46 UGX 30.9K

0.35%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$2.76 UGX 10.0K

11.59%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.51 UGX 1,847

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.29 UGX 1,057

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$1.37 UGX 4,981

77.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.82 UGX 10.3K

28.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$0.54 UGX 1,953

305.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$1.21 UGX 4,396

49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$1.33 UGX 4,867

67.67%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$1.82 UGX 6,633

23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$4.43 UGX 16.2K

342.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.02 UGX 18.3K

-25.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$3.99 UGX 14.6K

237.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$2.79 UGX 10.2K

20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.47 UGX 5,377

10.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.68 UGX 6,130

43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.52 UGX 5,537

30.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.57 UGX 5,736

-2.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$1.93 UGX 7,041

-24.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.02 UGX 3,728

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.54 UGX 1,972

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.00 UGX 10.9K

42.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$9.23 UGX 33.7K

107.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$1.23 UGX 4,487

49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$2.11 UGX 7,708

29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

$0.81 UGX 2,956

75.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$0.58 UGX 2,123

417.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$0.26 UGX 944

303.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$4.11 UGX 15.0K

238.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.49 UGX 5,431

-13.42%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$9,132 UGX 33.3M

206.97%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$8,631 UGX 31.5M

288.16%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$41.44 UGX 151.2K

194.35%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$14.65 UGX 53.4K

-4.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$43.91 UGX 160.1K

-57.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

$20.66 UGX 75.3K

196.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$6.16 UGX 22.4K

44.32%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$163 UGX 595.1K

323.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$4,305 UGX 15.7M

275.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$16.69 UGX 60.9K

246.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$14.05 UGX 51.2K

151.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$38.82 UGX 141.6K

192.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$46.58 UGX 169.9K

78.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

$95.7 UGX 348.9K

534.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

$82.5 UGX 300.9K

443.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

$268 UGX 978.0K

656.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

$197 UGX 720.3K

656.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Phuket versus $95.7 in Mbarara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $165 – making Mbarara 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 Mbarara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 126%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $812 in Mbarara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $26.00 in Mbarara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $542, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mbarara. 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.