Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gweru

For one person, living is cheaper in Gweru: $602 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Gweru
Learn more

Gweru Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Gweru

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$602

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Gweru

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

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $602 in Gweru, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Gweru $602

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $1,080 in Gweru, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Gweru $1,080

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,557 in Gweru, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Gweru $1,557

Phuket costs about 115% more than Gweru, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Gweru 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$3.79 ZWL 101

15.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,085

$45.06 ZWL 1,197

-28.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿292

$5.66 ZWL 150

53.71%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.5

$2.97 ZWL 79.0

-8.42%

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

$0.93 ฿31.25

$0.48 ZWL 12.86

93.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.78

$0.41 ZWL 11.00

21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.0

$1.28 ZWL 34.07

97.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$1.67 ZWL 44.46

117.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.4

$1.53 ZWL 40.60

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.73

$1.01 ZWL 26.83

43.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.61 ZWL 42.79

-6.83%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.0

$1.93 ZWL 51.2

12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿641

$11.52 ZWL 306

65.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$3.90 ZWL 104

-12.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿366

$5.34 ZWL 142

104.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.8

$1.98 ZWL 52.5

48.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.62 ZWL 43.07

4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.7

$2.02 ZWL 53.7

8.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.4

$0.99 ZWL 26.22

114.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.99

$1.75 ZWL 46.35

-16.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.95

$1.01 ZWL 26.84

35.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.14

$1.32 ZWL 35.08

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.32

$0.92 ZWL 24.53

-40.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$1.74 ZWL 46.16

154.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿613

$8.16 ZWL 217

123.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.41 ZWL 37.57

25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.8

$1.78 ZWL 47.24

61.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$0.48 ZWL 12.62

202.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,844

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.8

$3.93 ZWL 104

-61.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.06

$0.87 ZWL 23.07

-10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$5.12 ZWL 136

-25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.96

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

-6.29%

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

$26.9K ฿902.9K

$21.9K ZWL 581.5K

22.79%

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

$26.3K ฿884.9K

$27.9K ZWL 740.2K

-5.47%

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

$97.8 ฿3,285

$29.63 ZWL 787

230.10%

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

$11.29 ฿379

$17.19 ZWL 457

-34.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿577

$72.8 ZWL 1,933

-76.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,295

$39.66 ZWL 1,053

72.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿367

$1.99 ZWL 52.8

448.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿250

$10.10 ZWL 268

-26.44%

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

$530 ฿17.8K

$247 ZWL 6,571

114.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿630.9K

$5,713 ZWL 151.7K

228.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,072

$21.74 ZWL 577

183.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿949

$20.03 ZWL 532

41.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,225

$36.69 ZWL 975

161.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,916

$40.87 ZWL 1,085

112.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

$148 ZWL 3,926

387.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.1K

$69.5 ZWL 1,846

632.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.5K

$557 ZWL 14.8K

250.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.9K

$305 ZWL 8,098

358.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿140.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.5K

$246 ZWL 6,532

99.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-20.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Gweru: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Gweru

$70 11.5% 86.3% $439

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Gweru

$193 32% 27.7% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Gweru

$120 19.9% 5.3% $6.7

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Gweru

$54 8.9% 56.2% $69

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Gweru

$96 16% 19.4% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Gweru

$60 9.9% 28% $23

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Gweru

$10 * 1.7% 84.6% $56

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $148 in Gweru. 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 100% 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 $32 in Phuket versus $45 in Gweru. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Phuket vs $193 in Gweru – so Gweru wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇿🇼 Gweru

🕒 Local time

11:45 11:45 AM

06:45 6:45 AM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

141,260

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

100 ZWL = 3.77 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZWL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 26.56 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.77 USD). 1 EUR = 29.9 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Gweru 8,100 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Gweru

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

Phuket vs Gweru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Phuket, $602 in Gweru – Gweru comes out roughly 53% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $903 in Gweru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gweru, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $148 there versus $721 in Phuket.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $602 in Gweru. That makes Gweru about 53% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $530 per month in Phuket and $247 in Gweru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Gweru, where all-in costs run around $602, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Gweru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gweru – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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