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 $580 in Shurugwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $968 in Shurugwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,357 in Shurugwi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 112% more expensive than in Shurugwi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Shurugwi 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.87 ZWL 263

-55.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,075

$40.18 ZWL 1,071

-19.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$6.09 ZWL 162

46.63%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.73 ZWL 46.17

67.63%

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

$0.88 ฿29.33

$0.94 ZWL 25.12

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.03

$0.52 ZWL 13.98

-7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.54 ZWL 41.04

52.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

90.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.2

$1.51 ZWL 40.25

23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.86

$1.03 ZWL 27.34

42.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.62 ZWL 43.16

-4.32%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿653

$11.81 ZWL 315

65.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.72 ZWL 153

-40.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$6.59 ZWL 176

72.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.4

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

-1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.62 ZWL 43.07

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.47 ZWL 39.19

46.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.72 ZWL 45.71

-11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.59

$1.78 ZWL 47.42

-24.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.60

$1.22 ZWL 32.49

-7.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.21

$1.00 ZWL 26.56

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

119.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿636

$8.89 ZWL 237

114.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.3

$1.37 ZWL 36.49

29.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.7

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

39.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$3.91 ZWL 104

-22.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.09

$1.97 ZWL 52.4

-48.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$5.06 ZWL 135

-23.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.68

$1.77 ZWL 47.30

-15.82%

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

$26.6K ฿885.7K

$21.9K ZWL 583.0K

21.52%

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

$27.0K ฿900.6K

$27.1K ZWL 723.3K

-0.41%

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

$102 ฿3,414

$53.5 ZWL 1,425

91.64%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$21.84 ZWL 582

-48.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿580

$67.9 ZWL 1,810

-74.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,735

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$9.81 ZWL 261

-21.61%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$461 ZWL 12.3K

21.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.4K

$8,861 ZWL 236.2K

29.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,100

$24.90 ZWL 663

153.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿984

$20.90 ZWL 557

41.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,266

$39.93 ZWL 1,064

145.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,949

$42.35 ZWL 1,129

108.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Shurugwi. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $218, with Shurugwi 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 Shurugwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shurugwi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $870 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 $561 in Phuket versus $461 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $580 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 112% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.