Cost of Living Comparison Between Chinhoyi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Chinhoyi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $666 in Chinhoyi versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,032 in Chinhoyi versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,399 in Chinhoyi versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Chinhoyi costs roughly 47% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chinhoyi 50% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

$4.48 ฿150

-55.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.88 ZWL 1,331

$45.59 ฿1,521

9.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ZWL 119

$8.76 ฿292

-48.97%

Cappuccino

$1.02 ZWL 27.24

$2.97 ฿99.0

-65.66%

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

$0.34 ZWL 9.10

$0.69 ฿22.90

-50.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.38

$0.39 ฿13.04

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ZWL 26.40

$2.53 ฿84.4

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$3.75 ฿125

-47.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

$2.15 ฿71.6

-29.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ZWL 21.53

$1.82 ฿60.6

-55.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.57

$2.18 ฿72.9

-25.23%

Eggs

$2.11 ZWL 56.2

$2.25 ฿75.0

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.03 ZWL 294

$20.00 ฿667

-44.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ZWL 78.7

$3.63 ฿121

-18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.03 ZWL 108

$13.56 ฿452

-70.28%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$3.24 ฿108

-70.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

$1.64 ฿54.6

-37.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

$2.33 ฿77.8

-55.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

$2.07 ฿69.1

-50.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

$1.55 ฿51.6

-37.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.38

$1.46 ฿48.54

-29.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.67

$0.98 ฿32.86

-47.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ZWL 20.69

$0.48 ฿16.09

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 ZWL 28.62

$4.35 ฿145

-75.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 ZWL 182

$18.57 ฿620

-63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

$1.86 ฿61.9

-74.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$2.65 ฿88.6

-61.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

$1.42 ฿47.28

-30.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.74 ZWL 793

$11.57 ฿386

157.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 ZWL 107

$3.17 ฿106

26.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$1.03 ฿34.41

96.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 ZWL 135

$13.89 ฿463

-63.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ZWL 36.97

$1.34 ฿44.84

3.73%

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

$20.3K ZWL 540.4K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-27.12%

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

$22.9K ZWL 612.0K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-31.29%

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

$40.57 ZWL 1,082

$123 ฿4,105

-67.03%

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

$17.94 ZWL 479

$13.77 ฿459

30.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 ZWL 2,402

$18.33 ฿611

391.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 ZWL 272

$8.87 ฿296

14.99%

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

$280 ZWL 7,459

$688 ฿22.9K

-59.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,365 ZWL 196.5K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-53.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.40 ZWL 518

$59.3 ฿1,978

-67.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.35 ZWL 570

$34.69 ฿1,157

-38.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.29 ZWL 915

$115 ฿3,843

-70.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.83 ZWL 1,063

$83.8 ฿2,794

-52.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ZWL 4,760

$446 ฿14.9K

-60.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ZWL 8,058

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-79.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ZWL 5,363

$494 ฿16.5K

-59.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

5.33

149.72%

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

Last update for Chinhoyi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 146% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Chinhoyi vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $153 vs $291, with Chinhoyi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chinhoyi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chinhoyi and Phuket differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($666 vs $1,264 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 146% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Chinhoyi – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $666 per month in Chinhoyi versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $666 in Chinhoyi versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chinhoyi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chinhoyi 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.

Safety-wise, Chinhoyi and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chinhoyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.