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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $531 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $867 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,202 in Mbarara, rent included.

Phuket costs about 132% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mbarara are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mbarara 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.83 UGX 10.5K

63.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$26.19 UGX 97.1K

78.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.65 UGX 32.1K

2.20%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.82 UGX 10.5K

6.38%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.48 UGX 1,773

54.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.29 UGX 1,075

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.40 UGX 5,198

74.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.53 UGX 1,981

326.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.20 UGX 4,461

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.34 UGX 4,964

67.16%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.77 UGX 6,560

31.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.26 UGX 15.8K

361.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.96 UGX 18.4K

-26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$3.94 UGX 14.6K

232.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.69 UGX 9,967

26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.54 UGX 5,723

6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.73 UGX 6,397

39.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.54 UGX 5,726

31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.64 UGX 6,083

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.91 UGX 7,091

-21.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.07 UGX 3,967

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.55 UGX 2,025

-10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.93 UGX 10.9K

51.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.22 UGX 34.2K

104.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.20 UGX 4,444

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.06 UGX 7,651

33.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.84 UGX 3,129

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.54 UGX 1,992

477.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.26 UGX 959

284.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.13 UGX 15.3K

241.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.45 UGX 5,362

-6.90%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$9,122 UGX 33.8M

197.99%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$8,717 UGX 32.3M

277.68%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$42.29 UGX 156.8K

195.53%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$14.37 UGX 53.3K

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$43.51 UGX 161.3K

-57.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$20.49 UGX 76.0K

200.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.17 UGX 22.9K

48.95%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$162 UGX 601.4K

330.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,304 UGX 16.0M

262.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$17.28 UGX 64.1K

234.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$14.02 UGX 52.0K

151.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$39.08 UGX 144.9K

189.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$46.50 UGX 172.4K

85.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$95.5 UGX 354.0K

545.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$83.9 UGX 311.0K

431.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$266 UGX 986.5K

669.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$192 UGX 711.7K

677.34%

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 Mbarara: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $95.5 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 132%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $797 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 77% 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 $531, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.