Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shurugwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Shurugwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $615 in Shurugwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $990 in Shurugwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,364 in Shurugwi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 100% more expensive than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Shurugwi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$9.81 ZWL 248

-52.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$40.49 ZWL 1,024

15.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.14 ZWL 181

23.81%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.73 ZWL 43.75

73.41%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.72 ZWL 18.18

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.44 ZWL 11.13

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.47 ZWL 37.08

65.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.05 ZWL 51.9

76.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.56 ZWL 39.45

44.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

89.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.89 ZWL 47.83

18.52%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.11 ZWL 53.3

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$10.79 ZWL 273

82.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.54 ZWL 165

-44.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.32 ZWL 160

107.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.90 ZWL 73.5

16.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.67 ZWL 42.28

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.21 ZWL 55.8

9.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.70 ZWL 42.99

19.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.55 ZWL 39.20

0.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.98 ZWL 50.1

-24.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.02 ZWL 25.76

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.93 ZWL 23.65

-47.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.07 ZWL 27.17

315.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$8.57 ZWL 217

120.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.12 ZWL 28.35

58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.72 ZWL 43.47

59.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.03 ZWL 127

-37.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$2.05 ZWL 51.8

-51.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$4.85 ZWL 123

190.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.62 ZWL 40.96

-16.67%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$20.0K ZWL 505.5K

36.05%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.2K ZWL 586.4K

42.03%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$58.9 ZWL 1,491

112.12%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.53 ZWL 444

-22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$91.3 ZWL 2,311

-79.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$10.05 ZWL 254

-8.56%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$273 ZWL 6,905

155.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$7,340 ZWL 185.7K

112.42%

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

$21.09 ZWL 534

67.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$35.20 ZWL 891

221.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$39.81 ZWL 1,007

116.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

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

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 Shurugwi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Shurugwi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $217 per month, with Shurugwi cheaper across the board.

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 Shurugwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shurugwi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $923 in Shurugwi 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.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $273 in Shurugwi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shurugwi – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $615 in Shurugwi versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shurugwi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shurugwi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shurugwi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Shurugwi 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 Shurugwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.