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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $612 in Shurugwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $982 in Shurugwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,352 in Shurugwi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 106% more expensive than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Shurugwi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$9.81 ZWL 263

-53.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$41.23 ZWL 1,104

13.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.19 ZWL 193

17.80%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.64 ZWL 43.95

84.76%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.71 ZWL 18.99

-2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.43 ZWL 11.44

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.52 ZWL 40.80

63.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.98 ZWL 53.0

84.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.61 ZWL 43.18

35.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.99 ZWL 26.39

91.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.87 ZWL 50.1

17.65%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.13 ZWL 57.1

4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.81 ZWL 289

84.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.50 ZWL 174

-43.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$6.57 ZWL 176

101.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.00 ZWL 80.3

7.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.25 ZWL 60.3

6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.63 ZWL 43.70

27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.49 ZWL 39.81

6.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

-25.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.96 ZWL 25.67

7.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.01 ZWL 27.03

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.13 ZWL 30.30

276.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$8.94 ZWL 239

110.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.18 ZWL 31.66

49.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.79 ZWL 47.94

54.19%

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

$5.14 ZWL 138

-38.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

-49.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$5.02 ZWL 134

174.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.59 ZWL 42.67

-15.72%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$19.9K ZWL 531.9K

39.29%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$23.1K ZWL 617.3K

46.85%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$57.3 ZWL 1,534

115.65%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.35 ZWL 465

-22.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$91.7 ZWL 2,454

-79.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$10.08 ZWL 270

-9.33%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$278 ZWL 7,430

153.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,369 ZWL 197.3K

115.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$19.29 ZWL 516

208.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$21.62 ZWL 579

62.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$35.06 ZWL 939

228.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$40.54 ZWL 1,085

107.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

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 Shurugwi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $41.00 in Shurugwi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $220 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 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $918 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 $703 in Phuket versus $278 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 $41.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $612 in Shurugwi versus $1,261 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 106% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.