Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Victoria Falls Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Victoria Falls

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $900 in Victoria Falls.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,451 in Victoria Falls.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,003 in Victoria Falls.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Victoria Falls 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.91 ZWL 264

-54.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$45.63 ZWL 1,217

1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.85 ZWL 156

-47.69%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

-27.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.69 ZWL 45.08

43.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

14.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

84.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

10.29%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.64 ZWL 97.3

-38.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$2.52 ZWL 67.1

674.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.94 ZWL 158

-38.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.78 ZWL 208

67.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.94 ZWL 78.3

9.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$3.03 ZWL 80.7

-46.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.04 ZWL 81.2

-21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.90 ZWL 104

-47.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

-26.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

-50.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

-66.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.29 ZWL 34.44

244.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$19.99 ZWL 533

-8.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.84 ZWL 22.53

67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.98 ZWL 26.09

6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.85 ZWL 49.23

-29.19%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$24.85 ZWL 663

392.72%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$25.20 ZWL 672

-46.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

-72.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$60.1 ZWL 1,603

0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$14.76 ZWL 394

15.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$19.87 ZWL 530

-54.35%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$101 ZWL 2,682

602.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$6,015 ZWL 160.5K

162.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$15.13 ZWL 404

286.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$25.40 ZWL 678

39.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$60.9 ZWL 1,625

89.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$44.44 ZWL 1,186

88.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$248 ZWL 6,618

152.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$180 ZWL 4,811

146.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$493 ZWL 13.2K

313.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$350 ZWL 9,336

326.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$797 ZWL 21.3K

-37.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $248 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $248, with Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria Falls is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Victoria Falls. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $248 in Victoria Falls. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $101 in Victoria Falls. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria Falls – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $900 in Victoria Falls versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Victoria Falls but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Victoria Falls the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.