Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $768 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,261 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,753 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Phuket costs about 64% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Phuket and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.55 ZWL 122

0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$29.96 ZWL 802

55.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.59 ZWL 150

51.52%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

30.04%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

46.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

49.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

40.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

22.22%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

28.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.40 ZWL 278

92.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.97 ZWL 106

-7.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$4.44 ZWL 119

198.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

113.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

90.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

32.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

179.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.11 ZWL 137

267.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

30.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

177.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$29.43 ZWL 788

-61.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

5.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

-54.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.04 ZWL 135

173.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

-20.71%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

75.93%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$18.25 ZWL 488

-25.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$134 ZWL 3,579

-86.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$24.90 ZWL 667

148.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$9.93 ZWL 266

-7.96%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$139 ZWL 3,728

404.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$21.94 ZWL 587

171.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$13.26 ZWL 355

164.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

66.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

51.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$186 ZWL 4,981

232.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$112 ZWL 3,000

286.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$473 ZWL 12.7K

336.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$411 ZWL 11.0K

267.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,131 ZWL 57.0K

71.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$2,044 ZWL 54.7K

28.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$296 ZWL 7,914

71.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $186 in Bulawayo. 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 72% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $180 – making Bulawayo 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

Phuket vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 64%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,152 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $768 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 159% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. 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.