Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chinhoyi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chinhoyi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $657 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,026 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,396 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 88% more expensive than Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Chinhoyi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.06 ZWL 52.1

124.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$51.0 ZWL 1,290

-8.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.40 ZWL 111

100.91%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$0.99 ZWL 25.01

203.03%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.34 ZWL 8.61

117.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.24 ZWL 6.03

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.02 ZWL 25.74

139.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.95 ZWL 49.29

85.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.47 ZWL 37.21

53.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.82 ZWL 20.82

124.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.66 ZWL 42.08

34.94%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.15 ZWL 54.4

7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.78 ZWL 273

82.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$2.92 ZWL 73.9

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.10 ZWL 104

219.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$0.98 ZWL 24.79

245.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.02 ZWL 25.92

60.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$0.97 ZWL 24.56

148.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$0.98 ZWL 24.72

107.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.02 ZWL 25.88

52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$0.97 ZWL 24.56

54.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.52 ZWL 13.11

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.77 ZWL 19.57

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.13 ZWL 28.63

293.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.92 ZWL 175

172.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.48 ZWL 12.04

270.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.02 ZWL 25.70

169.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.97 ZWL 24.58

44.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$29.76 ZWL 753

-61.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.07 ZWL 103

-23.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.02 ZWL 51.2

-50.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$5.03 ZWL 127

180.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.43 ZWL 36.26

-5.59%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.2K ZWL 511.7K

34.41%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.8K ZWL 602.5K

38.25%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$40.71 ZWL 1,030

207.00%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.57 ZWL 445

-22.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$89.4 ZWL 2,261

-79.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$10.19 ZWL 258

-9.81%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$279 ZWL 7,063

150.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$7,438 ZWL 188.2K

109.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$19.75 ZWL 500

192.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$20.96 ZWL 530

68.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$34.06 ZWL 862

232.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$40.40 ZWL 1,022

113.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$183 ZWL 4,640

143.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$300 ZWL 7,597

396.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$201 ZWL 5,080

160.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

13.31

-59.95%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 161% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in Chinhoyi. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $152, with Chinhoyi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chinhoyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Chinhoyi differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $657 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 161% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Chinhoyi – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $657 in Chinhoyi – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $657 in Chinhoyi versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chinhoyi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Chinhoyi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Chinhoyi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chinhoyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.