Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Marondera

For one person, living is cheaper in Marondera: $764 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Marondera, Zimbabwe
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Marondera
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
$764
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Marondera

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 Marondera actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $764 in Marondera.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Marondera $764

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,157 in Marondera.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Marondera $1,157

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,550 in Marondera.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Marondera $1,550

Living in Phuket is roughly 69% more expensive than in Marondera, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, Marondera 43% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$5.09 ZWL 135
-13.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,078
$44.18 ZWL 1,172
-26.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿290
$5.53 ZWL 147
57.32%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿90.9
$2.05 ZWL 54.3
32.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.06
$0.89 ZWL 23.65
4.49%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.67
$0.42 ZWL 11.13
19.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.5
$1.26 ZWL 33.51
100.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$2.04 ZWL 54.1
77.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$0.99 ZWL 26.16
75.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$1.02 ZWL 27.04
42.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.1
$1.02 ZWL 27.16
47.06%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.5
$2.03 ZWL 54.0
6.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿637
$9.85 ZWL 261
93.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿113
$5.02 ZWL 133
-32.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$4.88 ZWL 129
123.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.2
$3.05 ZWL 80.9
-3.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.5
$1.65 ZWL 43.87
2.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.2
$1.97 ZWL 52.2
11.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿70.9
$1.51 ZWL 39.98
40.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.68
$1.74 ZWL 46.12
-16.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.66
$1.58 ZWL 41.87
-13.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.91
$1.35 ZWL 35.75
-20.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.21
$1.01 ZWL 26.77
-45.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
$1.82 ZWL 48.31
143.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿609
$4.10 ZWL 109
345.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.2
$1.34 ZWL 35.68
32.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.2
$1.82 ZWL 48.37
58.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.32
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,832
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.5
$4.07 ZWL 108
-62.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.90
$1.98 ZWL 52.6
-60.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
$5.14 ZWL 136
-25.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.65
$1.84 ZWL 48.91
-19.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿897.3K
$21.7K ZWL 575.1K
24.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.4K
$27.4K ZWL 728.1K
-3.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,265
$50.3 ZWL 1,336
94.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿377
$21.22 ZWL 563
-46.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿574
$73.1 ZWL 1,941
-76.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,281
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
$10.16 ZWL 270
-26.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
$413 ZWL 11.0K
28.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿626.9K
$16.9K ZWL 447.8K
11.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,059
$21.69 ZWL 576
184.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿943
$19.69 ZWL 523
43.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,204
$36.44 ZWL 967
163.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,898
$40.44 ZWL 1,073
114.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$253 ZWL 6,706
185.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
$248 ZWL 6,574
105.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.1K
$402 ZWL 10.7K
385.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.6K
$348 ZWL 9,246
300.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿139.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Marondera
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
13.69
-59.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Marondera: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Marondera
$248 51.3% $261
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Marondera
$187 30.1% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Marondera
$145 14.6% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Marondera
$53 56.6% $70
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Marondera
$97 18.5% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Marondera
$20 * 75.6% $63
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Marondera
$14 * 78.8% $52

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $253 in Marondera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $44 in Marondera. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $187, with Marondera cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇿🇼 Marondera
🕒 Local time
22:54 10:54 PM
17:54 5:54 PM
5 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
52,283
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZWL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.51 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 26.54 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.77 USD). 1 EUR = 29.82 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.35 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Marondera 7,880 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Marondera

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 Marondera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and in Marondera?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $764 in Marondera, so Marondera is about 41% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Marondera?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $1,146 in Marondera to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and in Marondera?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $253 in Marondera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Marondera?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $413 in Marondera. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $44 in Marondera. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $764 in Marondera versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Marondera but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Marondera the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Marondera?
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.

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