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 $598 per month in Masvingo vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $987 per month in Masvingo vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,376 per month in Masvingo vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Masvingo is about 36% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Masvingo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Masvingo 56% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.03 ZWL 267

$2.08 ฿69.4

382.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.92 ZWL 1,064

$19.61 ฿654

103.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 ZWL 157

$5.67 ฿189

3.70%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

$1.81 ฿60.2

67.40%

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

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

$0.77 ฿25.60

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.00

$0.35 ฿11.50

51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$2.21 ฿73.8

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.3

$3.79 ฿126

-48.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.25

$2.05 ฿68.2

-22.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.53

$1.51 ฿50.5

-31.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.03

$1.40 ฿46.61

20.71%

Eggs

$1.93 ZWL 51.5

$2.26 ฿75.2

-14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ZWL 317

$16.19 ฿540

-26.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 ZWL 152

$2.90 ฿96.5

96.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.60 ZWL 176

$9.42 ฿314

-29.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.4

$2.68 ฿89.2

12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.12

$1.09 ฿36.31

48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

$1.62 ฿53.9

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.11

$1.46 ฿48.66

5.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ZWL 45.88

$1.28 ฿42.57

34.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.12

$1.06 ฿35.25

70.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZWL 31.03

$0.72 ฿23.90

61.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.67

$0.53 ฿17.53

96.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$4.23 ฿141

-51.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 ZWL 234

$18.29 ฿610

-52.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.39

$1.63 ฿54.3

-14.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ZWL 53.6

$2.90 ฿96.7

-30.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.26

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,791

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ZWL 105

$1.17 ฿39.07

235.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

$0.58 ฿19.26

239.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$2.39 ฿79.5

113.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 ZWL 49.57

$1.45 ฿48.32

28.28%

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

$21.7K ZWL 577.4K

$21.0K ฿700.1K

3.12%

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

$27.3K ZWL 727.4K

$26.4K ฿880.5K

3.29%

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

$53.8 ZWL 1,433

$63.7 ฿2,121

-15.52%

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

$21.55 ZWL 574

$12.89 ฿430

67.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 ZWL 1,762

$20.52 ฿684

222.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,300

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 ZWL 266

$6.58 ฿219

51.52%

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

$466 ZWL 12.4K

$784 ฿26.1K

-40.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,100 ZWL 242.5K

$14.7K ฿488.9K

-37.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.67 ZWL 657

$55.1 ฿1,836

-55.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.57 ZWL 575

$24.74 ฿824

-12.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.25 ZWL 1,046

$94.1 ฿3,136

-58.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.16 ZWL 1,097

$74.0 ฿2,464

-44.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,602

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

5.57

145.78%

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

Last update for Masvingo: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Masvingo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $219 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 56% more than Masvingo, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $897 per month in Masvingo and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Masvingo and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Masvingo, where all-in costs run around $598, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Masvingo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Masvingo costs $598 versus $932 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.