Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Marondera Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Marondera

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $806 in Marondera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,192 in Marondera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,577 in Marondera.

Living in Phuket is roughly 57% more expensive than Marondera, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Marondera 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.07 ZWL 136

-10.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$51.0 ZWL 1,365

-8.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.11 ZWL 190

19.13%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.04 ZWL 54.6

48.53%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.67 ZWL 17.93

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.53 ZWL 40.95

62.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

86.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.02 ZWL 27.35

113.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.01 ZWL 27.15

88.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.99 ZWL 26.41

122.22%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

3.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.15 ZWL 272

96.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.86 ZWL 130

-24.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$5.04 ZWL 135

162.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.99 ZWL 80.1

8.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

16.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.66 ZWL 44.51

25.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.55 ZWL 41.51

2.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

-24.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.01 ZWL 27.05

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.13 ZWL 30.18

276.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$3.88 ZWL 104

384.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.17 ZWL 31.24

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.80 ZWL 48.10

53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$4.92 ZWL 132

-36.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

-47.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$4.96 ZWL 133

177.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.57 ZWL 41.98

-14.65%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.8K ZWL 529.9K

39.83%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$23.7K ZWL 633.7K

43.04%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$59.3 ZWL 1,586

108.56%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.78 ZWL 476

-23.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$93.5 ZWL 2,502

-80.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$10.04 ZWL 269

-8.96%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$282 ZWL 7,551

149.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,218 ZWL 193.2K

119.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$19.51 ZWL 522

204.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$21.70 ZWL 581

61.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$34.52 ZWL 924

233.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$40.22 ZWL 1,077

108.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$249 ZWL 6,671

148.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$252 ZWL 6,753

71.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$403 ZWL 10.8K

411.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$348 ZWL 9,306

334.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Marondera: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $249 in Marondera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $51.0 in Marondera. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $186, with Marondera 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 Marondera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Marondera differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $806 including rent). Marondera is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,209 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $249 in Marondera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $282 in Marondera. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Marondera – 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.

At $806 in Marondera versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 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.

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 Marondera 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 Marondera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.