Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulawayo: $747 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Bulawayo
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Bulawayo Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

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Bulawayo

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$747

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bulawayo and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bulawayo and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Bulawayo $747
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,194 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Bulawayo $1,194
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,642 per month in Bulawayo vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Bulawayo $1,642
Phuket $3,154

Bulawayo is about 42% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bulawayo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 45% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ZWL 116

$4.47 ฿151

-2.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.90 ZWL 795

$32.41 ฿1,094

-7.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$8.81 ฿297

-42.11%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ZWL 56.8

$2.83 ฿95.5

-24.38%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.79

$0.87 ฿29.43

-40.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZWL 9.59

$0.49 ฿16.67

-26.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ZWL 38.92

$2.56 ฿86.4

-42.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ZWL 52.3

$3.68 ฿124

-46.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.27

$1.66 ฿56.0

-1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.05

$1.46 ฿49.35

-32.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.16

$1.50 ฿50.6

3.33%

Eggs

$1.86 ZWL 49.36

$2.09 ฿70.5

-11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 ZWL 250

$19.07 ฿644

-50.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ZWL 102

$3.30 ฿111

15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.60 ZWL 122

$10.91 ฿368

-57.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 47.79

$2.93 ฿99.0

-38.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.15

$1.69 ฿57.1

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ZWL 63.8

$2.25 ฿75.8

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ZWL 27.65

$2.08 ฿70.1

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ZWL 33.50

$1.51 ฿51.0

-16.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.16

$1.38 ฿46.56

4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.27

$1.07 ฿35.99

2.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 20.45

$0.52 ฿17.52

48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ZWL 40.16

$4.20 ฿142

-64.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 ZWL 133

$18.79 ฿634

-73.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ZWL 36.09

$1.82 ฿61.5

-25.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ZWL 48.67

$2.84 ฿95.9

-35.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ZWL 19.06

$1.45 ฿49.03

-50.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.51 ZWL 784

$56.7 ฿1,913

-47.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ZWL 81.2

$3.02 ฿102

1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.6

$1.02 ฿34.36

94.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

$3.69 ฿125

36.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ZWL 44.95

$1.47 ฿49.81

14.97%

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

$25.1K ZWL 667.3K

$26.8K ฿904.3K

-6.20%

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

$25.4K ZWL 674.8K

$26.7K ฿901.3K

-4.85%

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

$93.0 ZWL 2,472

$96.4 ฿3,254

-3.44%

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

$17.52 ZWL 466

$11.26 ฿380

55.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 ZWL 2,831

$16.85 ฿569

532.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.99 ZWL 823

$67.2 ฿2,270

-53.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.38 ZWL 542

$10.73 ฿362

89.93%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 ZWL 268

$7.50 ฿253

34.53%

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

$228 ZWL 6,051

$476 ฿16.1K

-52.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,484 ZWL 92.6K

$11.3K ฿380.4K

-69.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.95 ZWL 557

$62.4 ฿2,106

-66.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.80 ZWL 314

$28.41 ฿959

-58.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.98 ZWL 1,248

$94.3 ฿3,184

-50.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.8 ZWL 1,536

$85.8 ฿2,898

-32.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 ZWL 4,573

$716 ฿24.2K

-75.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 ZWL 2,803

$491 ฿16.6K

-78.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 ZWL 10.8K

$1,927 ฿65.1K

-78.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ZWL 8,574

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-77.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,061 ZWL 54.8K

$4,175 ฿141.0K

-50.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,031 ZWL 54.0K

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-33.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 ZWL 8,056

$502 ฿17.0K

-39.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

169.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bulawayo: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bulawayo

$217 29.1%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 42.7% $93

Groceries & Markets

Bulawayo

$175 23.4%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 52.3% $91

Accommodation & Living

Bulawayo

$106 14.1%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 365% $385

Eating Out

Bulawayo

$91 12.2%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 34.2% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Bulawayo

$62 8.3%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 96.9% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Bulawayo

$51 6.9%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 60.7% $31

Getting Around

Bulawayo

$45 6.1%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 55.7% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $172 in Bulawayo versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 66% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Bulawayo versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $266 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇼 Bulawayo

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

22:25 10:25 PM

03:25 3:25 AM

5 h ahead of Bulawayo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

653,337

79,308

💱 Currency

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZWL = 3.76 USD

100 ZWL = 3.38 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to ZWL – Zimbabwean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇼 Zimbabwean Dollar ($)

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 26.57 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.76 USD). 1 EUR = 29.58 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.38 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to ZWL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bulawayo Phuket 8,240 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Bulawayo
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bulawayo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,120 per month in Bulawayo and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $172 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Bulawayo and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Bulawayo about 42% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Bulawayo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.