Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Chingola: $421 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $10,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Chingola

🇿🇲 Zambia

$421

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chingola 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 Chingola and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $421 in Chingola versus $1,278 in Phuket.

Chingola $421
Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $715 in Chingola versus $2,216 in Phuket.

Chingola $715
Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,010 in Chingola versus $3,154 in Phuket.

Chingola $1,010
Phuket $3,154

Living in Chingola costs roughly 67% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chingola 69% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 ZMW 298

$4.47 ฿151

230.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.36 ZMW 491

$32.41 ฿1,094

-24.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

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

$0.49 ZMW 9.85

$0.87 ฿29.42

-43.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.83

$0.49 ฿16.66

-30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 ZMW 11.53

$2.56 ฿86.3

-77.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ZMW 24.32

$3.68 ฿124

-67.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ZMW 34.68

$1.66 ฿56.0

3.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ZMW 23.12

$1.46 ฿49.32

-21.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ZMW 48.65

$1.50 ฿50.5

61.33%

Eggs

$1.82 ZMW 36.58

$2.09 ฿70.5

-12.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 ZMW 105

$3.30 ฿111

57.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.36 ZMW 87.9

$10.91 ฿368

-60.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ZMW 40.79

$2.93 ฿98.9

-30.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 ZMW 39.43

$1.69 ฿57.0

15.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 ZMW 40.87

$2.25 ฿75.8

-9.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 39.69

$2.08 ฿70.1

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 ZMW 58.2

$1.51 ฿51.0

91.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ZMW 29.61

$1.38 ฿46.54

6.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 16.37

$0.52 ฿17.51

55.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZMW 29.47

$4.20 ฿142

-65.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.90 ZMW 98.7

$18.79 ฿634

-73.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ZMW 12.68

$1.82 ฿61.5

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ZMW 14.53

$2.84 ฿95.9

-74.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ZMW 11.59

$1.02 ฿34.34

-43.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.86 ZMW 198

$3.69 ฿125

167.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ZMW 26.67

$1.47 ฿49.78

-10.20%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

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

$50.6 ZMW 1,019

$96.4 ฿3,252

-47.46%

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.87 ZMW 199

$67.2 ฿2,269

-85.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.03 ZMW 403

$62.4 ฿2,105

-67.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.37 ZMW 249

$28.41 ฿959

-56.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.22 ZMW 991

$94.3 ฿3,182

-47.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ZMW 1,498

$85.8 ฿2,896

-13.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.6K ZMW 294.7K

$3,045 ฿102.8K

380.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$108 ZMW 2,177

$502 ฿17.0K

-78.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chingola: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chingola

–

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Groceries & Markets

Chingola

–

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chingola

–

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Chingola

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Eating Out

Chingola

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Chingola

–

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Getting Around

Chingola

–

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays about 4.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $24 in Chingola vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $266 per month, with Chingola cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Chingola

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

11:50 11:50 AM

16:50 4:50 PM

5 h ahead of Chingola

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

210,073

79,308

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 4.97 USD

100 ZMW = 4.45 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZK)

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 20.14 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.97 USD). 1 EUR = 22.48 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.45 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to ZMW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chingola Phuket 8,120 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chingola
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

Chingola vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is about 67% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Chingola. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $24 versus $32 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $421 in Chingola versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Chingola wins on affordability, Phuket on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.