Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mutare Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mutare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $790 in Mutare, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,215 in Mutare, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,639 in Mutare, rent included.

Phuket costs about 56% more than Mutare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mutare are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Mutare 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.15 ZWL 271

-56.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,075

$39.66 ZWL 1,057

-18.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$4.47 ZWL 119

99.78%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.28 ZWL 34.11

126.56%

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

$0.88 ฿29.33

$0.71 ZWL 19.05

23.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.03

$0.48 ZWL 12.76

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.39 ZWL 36.92

69.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.83 ZWL 48.87

103.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.2

$1.27 ZWL 33.78

47.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.86

$0.98 ZWL 25.99

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.26 ZWL 33.67

23.02%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿653

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

561.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.97 ZWL 106

-13.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$5.07 ZWL 135

124.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.4

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

46.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.61 ZWL 42.86

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.05 ZWL 54.5

7.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

113.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.66 ZWL 44.27

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.59

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.60

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

135.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.21 ZWL 32.30

252.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿636

$5.99 ZWL 160

218.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$1.17 ZWL 31.21

52.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.7

$1.72 ZWL 45.73

61.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

$0.71 ZWL 19.00

214.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

$26.48 ZWL 706

-14.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

-0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

-49.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$4.98 ZWL 133

-21.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$1.85 ZWL 49.30

-19.46%

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

$26.6K ฿885.7K

$22.3K ZWL 593.7K

19.32%

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

$27.0K ฿900.6K

$24.3K ZWL 646.3K

11.46%

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

$102 ฿3,414

$54.0 ZWL 1,438

89.83%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$15.04 ZWL 401

-24.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿580

$59.8 ZWL 1,594

-70.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

$39.27 ZWL 1,047

32.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

$4.95 ZWL 132

123.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$9.93 ZWL 265

-22.56%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$149 ZWL 3,981

275.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.4K

$9,070 ZWL 241.7K

26.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,100

$9.81 ZWL 261

542.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿984

$9.26 ZWL 247

218.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,266

$25.03 ZWL 667

291.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,949

$20.27 ZWL 540

336.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$347 ZWL 9,257

112.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$246 ZWL 6,546

96.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

$744 ZWL 19.8K

183.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$399 ZWL 10.6K

207.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

$252 ZWL 6,726

1333.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$252 ZWL 6,711

96.02%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mutare: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $347 in Mutare. 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 96% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $40.00 in Mutare. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $154 in Mutare – so Mutare wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mutare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,186 in Mutare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 16% less in Mutare. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $149 in Mutare. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mutare, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Mutare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mutare – 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 Mutare. 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.