Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Mutare vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,247 per month in Mutare vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,715 per month in Mutare vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Mutare is about 38% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mutare and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 42% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.07 ZWL 270

$4.56 ฿149

120.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ZWL 1,359

$46.63 ฿1,519

8.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ZWL 124

$8.47 ฿276

-45.34%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ZWL 34.11

$3.03 ฿98.6

-58.09%

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

$0.67 ZWL 18.04

$0.69 ฿22.45

-2.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.51

$0.37 ฿11.92

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ZWL 35.11

$2.49 ฿81.0

-47.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZWL 48.65

$3.66 ฿119

-50.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZWL 33.12

$2.18 ฿71.0

-43.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

$1.90 ฿62.0

-46.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ZWL 35.64

$2.20 ฿71.6

-39.55%

Eggs

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

$2.22 ฿72.4

-13.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.7

$19.99 ฿651

-84.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ZWL 109

$3.66 ฿119

11.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 ZWL 139

$13.25 ฿432

-60.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ZWL 54.3

$3.23 ฿105

-37.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.93

$1.70 ฿55.3

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$2.39 ฿78.0

-15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

$2.08 ฿67.7

-52.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ZWL 41.97

$1.59 ฿51.8

-1.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

$1.48 ฿48.31

-33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.70

$1.03 ฿33.54

-50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

$0.52 ฿16.83

96.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.91

$4.25 ฿138

-73.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 ZWL 158

$18.79 ฿612

-68.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.39

$1.76 ฿57.2

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ZWL 44.96

$2.76 ฿89.8

-39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.77

$1.36 ฿44.32

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.01 ZWL 723

$11.36 ฿370

137.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ZWL 81.9

$3.14 ฿102

-2.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$1.04 ฿33.74

89.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ZWL 130

$13.77 ฿448

-64.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.72

$1.34 ฿43.79

16.42%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.2K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-28.44%

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

$23.5K ZWL 628.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-30.68%

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

$57.5 ZWL 1,540

$124 ฿4,025

-53.44%

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

$14.83 ZWL 397

$13.52 ฿440

9.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 ZWL 1,627

$18.69 ฿609

225.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 ZWL 1,070

$61.8 ฿2,013

-35.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ZWL 131

$17.25 ฿562

-71.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ZWL 267

$9.14 ฿298

9.19%

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

$148 ZWL 3,961

$703 ฿22.9K

-78.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,258 ZWL 194.3K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-54.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.85 ZWL 264

$59.5 ฿1,937

-83.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.39 ZWL 251

$35.07 ฿1,142

-73.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.10 ZWL 672

$115 ฿3,754

-78.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.78 ZWL 529

$84.1 ฿2,737

-76.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ZWL 9,491

$619 ฿20.1K

-42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,748

$433 ฿14.1K

-41.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ZWL 20.2K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-63.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.7K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-73.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$253 ZWL 6,783

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-93.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 ZWL 6,599

$507 ฿16.5K

-51.38%

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 Mutare: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Mutare versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 106% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Mutare versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Mutare vs $293 in Phuket – so Mutare 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

Mutare vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 62%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,168 per month in Mutare and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 138% less in Mutare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $148 per month in Mutare and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mutare, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Mutare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mutare – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mutare. 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.