Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $636 per month in Masvingo vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,098 per month in Masvingo vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,561 per month in Masvingo vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Masvingo is about 27% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Masvingo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Masvingo 53% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.02 ZWL 268

$1.98 ฿64.3

406.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.64 ZWL 1,329

$18.80 ฿612

164.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 ZWL 186

$7.75 ฿252

-10.19%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZWL 77.4

$1.92 ฿62.5

50.52%

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

$0.72 ZWL 19.15

$0.79 ฿25.79

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.46

$0.36 ฿11.62

30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.71

$2.21 ฿72.1

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

$3.66 ฿119

-46.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.88

$1.65 ฿53.8

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.11

$1.63 ฿53.2

-38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 52.3

$1.19 ฿38.86

63.87%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

$2.00 ฿65.1

4.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZWL 288

$15.98 ฿520

-32.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 167

$3.03 ฿98.5

105.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 ZWL 166

$10.86 ฿354

-42.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ZWL 80.3

$2.76 ฿90.0

8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.55

$1.18 ฿38.42

38.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ZWL 59.1

$1.64 ฿53.5

34.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

$1.52 ฿49.51

8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ZWL 41.71

$1.38 ฿45.10

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

$1.19 ฿38.84

66.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

$0.70 ฿22.86

47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ZWL 25.02

$0.56 ฿18.13

66.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 ZWL 28.76

$4.58 ฿149

-76.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 ZWL 244

$16.56 ฿539

-44.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZWL 30.39

$1.83 ฿59.5

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ZWL 47.68

$3.20 ฿104

-44.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$1.36 ฿44.16

269.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$1.34 ฿43.65

47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 ZWL 136

$7.84 ฿256

-35.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 41.11

$1.23 ฿39.92

25.20%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-8.18%

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

$23.6K ZWL 631.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

4.63%

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

$57.4 ZWL 1,536

$70.5 ฿2,298

-18.66%

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

$18.01 ZWL 482

$13.68 ฿445

31.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.2 ZWL 2,441

$17.45 ฿568

422.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 ZWL 269

$5.77 ฿188

73.83%

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

$281 ZWL 7,515

$307 ฿10.0K

-8.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,398 ZWL 198.1K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-49.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.59 ZWL 524

$55.8 ฿1,817

-64.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.59 ZWL 578

$26.21 ฿854

-17.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.95 ZWL 935

$85.8 ฿2,793

-59.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.15 ZWL 1,075

$72.2 ฿2,353

-44.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

$430 ฿14.0K

-86.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 ZWL 8,058

$817 ฿26.6K

-63.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 ZWL 4,083

$511 ฿16.6K

-70.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

166.20%

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

Last update for Masvingo: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $58.9 in Masvingo versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Masvingo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Masvingo vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Masvingo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Masvingo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Masvingo, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $954 per month in Masvingo and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Masvingo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Masvingo and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $636 in Masvingo and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Masvingo costs $636 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Masvingo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.