Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $722 per month in Ndola vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Ndola vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,678 per month in Ndola vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Ndola is about 43% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 46% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$4.70 ฿153

51.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$45.37 ฿1,482

-46.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$8.43 ฿275

-56.58%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$2.93 ฿95.6

-33.79%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$0.69 ฿22.40

-44.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$0.37 ฿11.99

-54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$2.41 ฿78.6

-61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$3.72 ฿122

-50.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$2.23 ฿72.9

-44.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$1.83 ฿59.8

-56.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$2.17 ฿70.8

-27.65%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$2.21 ฿72.3

-42.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$19.74 ฿645

-61.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$3.63 ฿119

8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$13.53 ฿442

-65.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$3.28 ฿107

-62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$1.61 ฿52.6

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$2.41 ฿78.6

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$2.08 ฿68.1

-43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$1.53 ฿49.93

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$1.48 ฿48.36

-10.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$0.99 ฿32.29

-7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$0.51 ฿16.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$4.41 ฿144

-43.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$19.38 ฿633

-44.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$1.78 ฿58.1

-35.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$2.71 ฿88.6

-42.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$1.37 ฿44.79

-59.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$3.02 ฿98.6

-39.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$14.10 ฿461

-33.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$1.36 ฿44.51

-12.50%

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-71.21%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-14.80%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$122 ฿3,975

-24.58%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$13.57 ฿443

167.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$18.31 ฿598

574.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$8.69 ฿284

-53.28%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$693 ฿22.6K

-75.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-38.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$59.5 ฿1,944

-68.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$34.77 ฿1,136

-50.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$115 ฿3,743

-26.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$83.3 ฿2,720

-12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$613 ฿20.0K

-79.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$437 ฿14.3K

-74.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-87.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-1.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

20.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

369.04%

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

Last update for Ndola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola versus $613 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 20% higher in Ndola, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ndola versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $293 – making Ndola the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ndola vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,083 per month in Ndola and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ndola and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ndola, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Ndola it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – 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 Ndola. 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.