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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $909 in Victoria Falls.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,471 in Victoria Falls.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,033 in Victoria Falls.

Living in Phuket is roughly 35% more expensive than in Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Victoria Falls 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$10.07 ZWL 270

-56.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$44.16 ZWL 1,183

-26.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$5.92 ZWL 159

-51.01%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.02 ZWL 27.32

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.48 ZWL 12.75

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$4.98 ZWL 133

-52.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.98 ZWL 53.2

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.97 ZWL 26.11

51.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

-20.10%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.55 ZWL 95.1

-40.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$2.53 ZWL 67.8

674.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.08 ZWL 163

-43.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$8.03 ZWL 215

41.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.97 ZWL 79.7

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$3.03 ZWL 81.2

-44.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.98 ZWL 79.8

-25.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.04 ZWL 108

-46.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.05 ZWL 55.0

-34.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.04 ZWL 54.7

-44.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.52 ZWL 40.67

-63.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.35 ZWL 89.7

27.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$20.10 ZWL 538

-5.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

13.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.02 ZWL 27.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.83 ZWL 49.15

-18.58%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

$25.26 ZWL 677

305.66%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$24.69 ZWL 661

-54.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$67.3 ZWL 1,803

-74.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$60.4 ZWL 1,618

-13.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$15.13 ZWL 405

-26.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$20.07 ZWL 538

-61.68%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$99.1 ZWL 2,655

465.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,911 ZWL 158.4K

94.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$15.02 ZWL 402

319.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$25.41 ZWL 681

16.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$61.0 ZWL 1,633

60.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$44.78 ZWL 1,200

97.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$252 ZWL 6,740

193.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$181 ZWL 4,855

166.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$505 ZWL 13.5K

317.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$355 ZWL 9,508

245.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$805 ZWL 21.6K

-38.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $252 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $249, 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 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 63% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $252 in Victoria Falls. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $99.1 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 $44.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $909 in Victoria Falls versus $1,232 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 35% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.