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: $644 in Chinhoyi versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,031 in Chinhoyi versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,418 in Chinhoyi versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Chinhoyi costs roughly 49% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chinhoyi 52% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

$4.56 ฿149

-55.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.87 ZWL 1,335

$46.63 ฿1,519

6.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ZWL 122

$8.47 ฿276

-46.28%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ZWL 26.37

$3.03 ฿98.6

-67.33%

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

$0.32 ZWL 8.46

$0.69 ฿22.45

-53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.40

$0.37 ฿11.92

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ZWL 26.31

$2.49 ฿81.0

-60.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.5

$3.66 ฿119

-44.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 41.34

$2.18 ฿71.0

-29.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ZWL 23.39

$1.90 ฿62.0

-54.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ZWL 43.11

$2.20 ฿71.6

-26.82%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 55.9

$2.22 ฿72.4

-5.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 ZWL 289

$19.99 ฿651

-45.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 ZWL 78.7

$3.66 ฿119

-19.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$13.25 ฿432

-70.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.06

$3.23 ฿105

-69.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.57

$1.70 ฿55.3

-39.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.21

$2.39 ฿78.0

-59.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

$2.08 ฿67.7

-50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.09

$1.59 ฿51.8

-38.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.53

$1.48 ฿48.31

-30.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.75

$1.03 ฿33.54

-50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 20.64

$0.52 ฿16.83

48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.79

$4.25 ฿138

-73.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.12 ZWL 191

$18.79 ฿612

-62.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZWL 13.73

$1.76 ฿57.2

-71.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.09

$2.76 ฿89.8

-64.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.23

$1.36 ฿44.32

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 ZWL 794

$11.36 ฿370

161.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 ZWL 109

$3.14 ฿102

29.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 55.1

$1.04 ฿33.74

98.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$13.77 ฿448

-63.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ZWL 39.01

$1.34 ฿43.79

8.96%

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

$19.6K ZWL 525.9K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-29.02%

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

$23.0K ZWL 615.3K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-32.13%

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

$40.29 ZWL 1,079

$124 ฿4,025

-67.40%

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

$17.46 ZWL 468

$13.52 ฿440

29.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.4 ZWL 2,367

$18.69 ฿609

373.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 ZWL 267

$9.14 ฿298

9.08%

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

$282 ZWL 7,562

$703 ฿22.9K

-59.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,193 ZWL 192.6K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-54.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.08 ZWL 511

$59.5 ฿1,937

-67.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.93 ZWL 560

$35.07 ฿1,142

-40.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.09 ZWL 939

$115 ฿3,754

-69.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.32 ZWL 1,079

$84.1 ฿2,737

-52.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,809

$433 ฿14.1K

-58.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ZWL 7,935

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-80.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 ZWL 5,339

$507 ฿16.5K

-60.66%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 154% 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 $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $153 vs $293, 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 96% in total monthly costs ($644 vs $1,261 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 154% less. 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $644 per month in Chinhoyi versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 96% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $644 in Chinhoyi versus $1,261 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 96% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.