Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mpigi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mpigi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $431 in Mpigi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $690 in Mpigi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $949 in Mpigi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 186% more than Mpigi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mpigi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Mpigi 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.76 UGX 10.2K

67.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$26.71 UGX 99.1K

75.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$8.78 UGX 32.5K

0.68%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.86 UGX 10.6K

4.90%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.51 UGX 1,892

45.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.31 UGX 1,167

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.43 UGX 5,294

70.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

33.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.71 UGX 2,649

218.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.20 UGX 4,467

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.33 UGX 4,913

68.42%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.81 UGX 6,724

28.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$4.45 UGX 16.5K

342.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.98 UGX 18.5K

-26.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

215.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.77 UGX 10.3K

22.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.47 UGX 5,446

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.74 UGX 6,464

38.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.59 UGX 5,887

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.58 UGX 5,870

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.86 UGX 6,878

-19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.05 UGX 3,898

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.58 UGX 2,149

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.89 UGX 10.7K

53.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$9.60 UGX 35.6K

96.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.24 UGX 4,607

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.03 UGX 7,541

35.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$0.58 UGX 2,157

437.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.28 UGX 1,045

257.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.22 UGX 15.6K

233.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.44 UGX 5,336

-6.25%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$8,991 UGX 33.3M

202.33%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$8,847 UGX 32.8M

272.12%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$41.72 UGX 154.7K

199.57%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$14.53 UGX 53.9K

-6.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$43.45 UGX 161.1K

-57.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.16 UGX 22.8K

49.19%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$160 UGX 594.7K

335.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,235 UGX 15.7M

268.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$17.12 UGX 63.5K

237.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$14.44 UGX 53.5K

144.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$38.74 UGX 143.6K

191.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$47.52 UGX 176.2K

81.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

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 Mpigi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $27.00 in Mpigi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $169 – making Mpigi 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 Mpigi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 186% more than Mpigi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $646 in Mpigi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $431 in Mpigi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $160 in Mpigi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mpigi, where all-in costs run around $431, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Mpigi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mpigi costs $431 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mpigi. 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.