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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $792 per month in Mutare vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Mutare vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,669 per month in Mutare vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Mutare is about 36% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mutare and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 41% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 ZWL 258

$4.63 ฿151

120.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 ZWL 1,267

$46.84 ฿1,532

6.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ZWL 117

$8.84 ฿289

-47.62%

Cappuccino

$1.22 ZWL 30.97

$3.00 ฿98.0

-59.33%

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

$0.72 ZWL 18.09

$0.74 ฿24.25

-2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.10

$0.37 ฿11.95

18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ZWL 35.14

$2.44 ฿79.8

-43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 44.75

$3.61 ฿118

-50.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ZWL 30.73

$2.26 ฿73.9

-46.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 25.97

$1.84 ฿60.1

-44.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ZWL 31.98

$2.24 ฿73.4

-43.75%

Eggs

$1.88 ZWL 47.57

$2.32 ฿75.7

-18.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.94 ZWL 74.3

$19.67 ฿643

-85.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ZWL 103

$3.65 ฿119

11.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.92 ZWL 124

$13.10 ฿428

-62.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ZWL 51.0

$3.39 ฿111

-40.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 42.92

$1.64 ฿53.7

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 51.9

$2.41 ฿79.0

-14.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

$2.03 ฿66.4

-52.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 38.31

$1.56 ฿50.9

-3.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 24.54

$1.50 ฿48.94

-35.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.23

$1.02 ฿33.50

-49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 25.61

$0.49 ฿16.00

106.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 28.35

$4.45 ฿145

-74.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 ZWL 151

$18.88 ฿617

-68.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 29.69

$1.78 ฿58.1

-34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 43.58

$2.75 ฿90.1

-37.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ZWL 12.12

$1.40 ฿45.81

-65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 ZWL 686

$11.48 ฿376

136.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ZWL 77.5

$3.12 ฿102

-1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 ZWL 49.35

$1.00 ฿32.67

95.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 124

$14.09 ฿461

-65.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 39.30

$1.35 ฿44.19

14.81%

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

$20.4K ZWL 515.3K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-25.07%

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

$23.0K ZWL 582.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-30.06%

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

$57.2 ZWL 1,447

$125 ฿4,087

-54.24%

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

$15.03 ZWL 380

$13.57 ฿444

10.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 ZWL 1,546

$18.52 ฿606

229.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.40 ZWL 1,022

$61.5 ฿2,010

-34.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.87 ZWL 123

$16.84 ฿551

-71.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.12 ZWL 256

$9.19 ฿300

10.12%

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

$146 ZWL 3,686

$698 ฿22.8K

-79.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,422 ZWL 187.8K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

-52.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.91 ZWL 251

$57.8 ฿1,889

-82.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.43 ZWL 239

$35.24 ฿1,152

-73.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.45 ZWL 644

$113 ฿3,699

-77.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.94 ZWL 504

$86.4 ฿2,825

-76.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 ZWL 8,761

$616 ฿20.1K

-43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 ZWL 6,358

$446 ฿14.6K

-43.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ZWL 19.0K

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 ZWL 10.1K

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-73.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$253 ZWL 6,397

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-93.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,365

$524 ฿17.1K

-51.97%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Mutare versus $616 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 108% 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 $50.0 in Mutare versus $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $154 in Mutare vs $292 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 56%, 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 $1,187 per month in Mutare and $1,847 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 136% less in Mutare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Mutare and $698 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 $792, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.