Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mwanza and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $185 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$185

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mwanza and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mwanza and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $185 per month in Mwanza vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Mwanza $185
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $291 per month in Mwanza vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Mwanza $291
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $396 per month in Mwanza vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Mwanza $396
Phuket $3,154

Mwanza is about 86% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mwanza and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Mwanza 86% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.41 TZS 6,302

$4.47 ฿151

-46.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.09 TZS 39.4K

$32.41 ฿1,094

-53.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 TZS 11.6K

$8.81 ฿297

-49.49%

Cappuccino

$2.57 TZS 6,712

$2.83 ฿95.5

-9.19%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 TZS 695

$0.49 ฿16.67

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 TZS 2,517

$2.56 ฿86.4

-62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 TZS 3,346

$3.68 ฿124

-65.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 TZS 2,375

$1.66 ฿56.0

-45.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 TZS 4,059

$1.46 ฿49.35

6.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,566

$1.50 ฿50.6

-34.67%

Eggs

$2.05 TZS 5,354

$2.09 ฿70.5

-1.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,518

$1.51 ฿51.0

-36.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 TZS 3,477

$1.38 ฿46.56

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 TZS 1,034

$0.52 ฿17.52

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 TZS 3,992

$1.47 ฿49.81

4.08%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

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

$65.9 TZS 172.0K

$96.4 ฿3,254

-31.63%

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

$11.26 ฿380

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 TZS 495.4K

$502 ฿17.0K

-62.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Mwanza: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mwanza

–

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Groceries & Markets

Mwanza

–

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mwanza

–

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Mwanza

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Eating Out

Mwanza

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Mwanza

–

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Getting Around

Mwanza

–

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Phuket are about 2.6 times higher, 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 $15 in Mwanza versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $47 vs $266 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

01:04 1:04 AM

05:04 5:04 AM

4 h ahead of Mwanza

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,104,521

79,308

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2,611 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD). 1 EUR = 2,907 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mwanza Phuket 7,350 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Mwanza
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mwanza vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 591%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $277 per month in Mwanza and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 466% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15 in Mwanza and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mwanza, where all-in costs run around $185, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Mwanza 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 $185 in Mwanza to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mwanza. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.