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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $539 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,078 per month in Phuket vs $867 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,896 per month in Phuket vs $1,194 in Mbarara, rent included.

Phuket costs about 134% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mbarara are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mbarara 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$2.64 UGX 9,821

67.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$26.62 UGX 98.9K

31.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$7.76 UGX 28.8K

15.46%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.56 UGX 9,504

17.19%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.41 UGX 1,511

87.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.30 UGX 1,128

56.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.31 UGX 4,869

83.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$1.96 UGX 7,285

91.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.52 UGX 1,914

250.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.98 UGX 3,631

44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.33 UGX 4,932

16.54%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.56 UGX 5,804

36.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$4.89 UGX 18.2K

304.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$4.90 UGX 18.2K

-28.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$3.78 UGX 14.0K

193.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$2.42 UGX 8,991

20.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.33 UGX 4,939

24.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.38 UGX 5,123

64.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.34 UGX 4,967

56.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.34 UGX 4,997

9.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.45 UGX 5,383

-2.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.85 UGX 3,173

28.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.53 UGX 1,978

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.72 UGX 10.1K

64.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$8.16 UGX 30.3K

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.13 UGX 4,183

62.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.05 UGX 7,635

43.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.83 UGX 3,066

172.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.52 UGX 1,932

484.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.36 UGX 1,326

202.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$3.26 UGX 12.1K

17.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.43 UGX 5,316

4.20%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$8,086 UGX 30.1M

239.34%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$7,980 UGX 29.7M

244.79%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$76.3 UGX 283.5K

33.45%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$15.38 UGX 57.1K

-26.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$38.90 UGX 144.6K

-54.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$20.01 UGX 74.4K

170.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.45 UGX 27.7K

5.37%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$255 UGX 946.2K

126.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$8,414 UGX 31.3M

38.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$15.05 UGX 55.9K

334.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$13.81 UGX 51.3K

109.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$34.46 UGX 128.1K

187.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$46.86 UGX 174.2K

92.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$93.2 UGX 346.2K

711.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$81.9 UGX 304.3K

495.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$252 UGX 935.2K

728.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$192 UGX 711.8K

530.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Mbarara: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Phuket versus $93.2 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 $35.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $152 – 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 134%, 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 $1,891 per month in Phuket and $809 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 $35.00 in Phuket and $27.00 in Mbarara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 79% 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 $539, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.