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 $621 per month in Masvingo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,117 per month in Masvingo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,612 per month in Masvingo vs $1,857 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 54% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 ZWL 252

$1.96 ฿64.0

408.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,290

$18.81 ฿615

171.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 ZWL 173

$7.92 ฿259

-13.51%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ZWL 75.8

$1.91 ฿62.6

56.54%

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

$0.66 ZWL 16.76

$0.84 ฿27.41

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 10.93

$0.35 ฿11.51

22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 37.15

$2.21 ฿72.1

-33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 49.33

$3.80 ฿124

-48.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ZWL 39.91

$1.64 ฿53.5

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 25.70

$1.62 ฿53.1

-37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ZWL 49.16

$1.18 ฿38.62

64.41%

Eggs

$2.07 ZWL 52.4

$2.01 ฿65.8

2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ZWL 281

$15.89 ฿520

-30.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ZWL 161

$3.01 ฿98.5

111.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.31 ZWL 160

$10.77 ฿352

-41.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ZWL 73.0

$2.61 ฿85.5

10.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 41.55

$1.22 ฿39.88

34.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 56.1

$1.70 ฿55.7

30.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 42.20

$1.58 ฿51.5

5.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ZWL 37.83

$1.32 ฿43.14

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 50.0

$1.17 ฿38.23

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 26.08

$0.67 ฿21.98

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 25.61

$0.56 ฿18.32

80.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 28.52

$4.53 ฿148

-75.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 ZWL 221

$18.20 ฿595

-52.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 29.77

$1.83 ฿60.0

-35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 43.60

$3.23 ฿106

-46.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 ZWL 125

$1.35 ฿44.20

265.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ZWL 49.10

$1.35 ฿44.05

43.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 129

$8.25 ฿270

-38.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 40.47

$1.27 ฿41.64

25.98%

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

$20.2K ZWL 510.2K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

-4.69%

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

$23.3K ZWL 590.6K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

3.82%

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

$57.7 ZWL 1,460

$70.2 ฿2,294

-17.76%

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

$17.80 ZWL 450

$13.77 ฿450

29.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 ZWL 2,297

$17.60 ฿575

415.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 ZWL 253

$5.78 ฿189

73.18%

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

$281 ZWL 7,117

$306 ฿10.0K

-8.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,348 ZWL 185.9K

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-50.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.23 ZWL 486

$54.4 ฿1,778

-64.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.50 ZWL 544

$26.14 ฿855

-17.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.08 ZWL 888

$84.5 ฿2,764

-58.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.10 ZWL 1,040

$69.4 ฿2,270

-40.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$60.3 ZWL 1,525

$424 ฿13.9K

-85.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 ZWL 7,445

$825 ฿27.0K

-64.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 ZWL 3,802

$515 ฿16.8K

-70.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $60.3 in Masvingo versus $424 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 $51.0 in Masvingo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Masvingo vs $243 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 $932 per month in Masvingo and $1,278 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 $51.0 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 $621 in Masvingo and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Masvingo costs $621 versus $852 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.