Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $598 per month in Masvingo vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $987 per month in Masvingo vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,376 per month in Masvingo vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Masvingo is about 51% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Masvingo and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Masvingo 56% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.03 ZWL 267

$4.41 ฿147

127.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.92 ZWL 1,064

$32.26 ฿1,075

23.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 ZWL 157

$8.93 ฿298

-34.15%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

$2.90 ฿96.5

4.48%

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

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

$0.88 ฿29.33

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.00

$0.48 ฿16.03

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$2.35 ฿78.3

-36.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.3

$3.72 ฿124

-47.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.25

$1.87 ฿62.2

-14.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.53

$1.47 ฿48.86

-29.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.03

$1.55 ฿51.7

9.03%

Eggs

$1.93 ZWL 51.5

$2.10 ฿70.0

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 ZWL 317

$19.59 ฿653

-39.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 ZWL 152

$3.42 ฿114

66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.60 ZWL 176

$11.38 ฿379

-42.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.4

$2.98 ฿99.4

1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.12

$1.68 ฿56.1

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

$2.21 ฿73.6

-10.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.11

$2.16 ฿72.0

-28.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 ZWL 45.88

$1.52 ฿50.8

13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.12

$1.34 ฿44.59

35.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZWL 31.03

$1.13 ฿37.60

2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.67

$0.55 ฿18.21

89.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$4.26 ฿142

-51.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 ZWL 234

$19.09 ฿636

-54.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.39

$1.78 ฿59.3

-21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ZWL 53.6

$2.78 ฿92.7

-27.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ZWL 105

$3.03 ฿101

29.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

$1.02 ฿34.09

93.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$3.89 ฿130

31.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 ZWL 49.57

$1.49 ฿49.68

24.83%

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

$21.7K ZWL 577.4K

$26.6K ฿885.7K

-18.49%

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

$27.3K ZWL 727.4K

$27.0K ฿900.6K

0.98%

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

$53.8 ZWL 1,433

$102 ฿3,414

-47.53%

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

$21.55 ZWL 574

$11.33 ฿377

90.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 ZWL 1,762

$17.40 ฿580

280.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 ZWL 266

$7.69 ฿256

29.65%

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

$466 ZWL 12.4K

$561 ฿18.7K

-16.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,100 ZWL 242.5K

$11.5K ฿383.4K

-20.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.67 ZWL 657

$63.0 ฿2,100

-60.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.57 ZWL 575

$29.52 ฿984

-26.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.25 ZWL 1,046

$98.0 ฿3,266

-59.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.16 ZWL 1,097

$88.5 ฿2,949

-53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

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 Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Masvingo versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Masvingo vs $274 in Phuket – 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $598 in Masvingo, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 106% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $897 per month in Masvingo and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $598 in Masvingo and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $466 per month in Masvingo and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Masvingo, where all-in costs run around $598, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Masvingo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $598 in Masvingo to $1,232 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.