Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Victoria Falls

For one person, living is cheaper in Victoria Falls: $908 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Victoria Falls

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$908

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Victoria Falls

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Victoria Falls actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $908 in Victoria Falls.

Phuket $1,278
Victoria Falls $908

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,479 in Victoria Falls.

Phuket $2,216
Victoria Falls $1,479

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $2,051 in Victoria Falls.

Phuket $3,154
Victoria Falls $2,051

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than in Victoria Falls, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$10.16 ZWL 270

-56.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$45.27 ZWL 1,203

-28.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$5.87 ZWL 156

-51.79%

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

$0.87 ฿29.40

$0.98 ZWL 26.03

-11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$0.51 ZWL 13.59

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$4.92 ZWL 131

-47.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$2.04 ZWL 54.1

-18.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.29

$1.03 ZWL 27.31

41.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

-23.47%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$3.54 ZWL 94.2

-40.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$2.47 ZWL 65.7

672.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$6.11 ZWL 162

-45.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$7.93 ZWL 211

37.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.8

$3.01 ZWL 80.0

-2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$2.99 ZWL 79.3

-43.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$2.97 ZWL 78.9

-24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$3.88 ZWL 103

-46.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.51

$2.01 ZWL 53.5

-31.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.95

$1.99 ZWL 52.8

-46.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.50

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

-66.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$3.49 ZWL 92.7

20.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$20.32 ZWL 540

-7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.97

$1.96 ZWL 52.1

-26.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,911

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.32

$0.99 ZWL 26.26

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.75

$1.83 ZWL 48.72

-19.67%

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

$26.8K ฿903.2K

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

$26.7K ฿900.3K

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

$96.4 ฿3,250

$25.48 ZWL 677

278.14%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$24.62 ZWL 654

-54.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$68.4 ZWL 1,816

-75.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$59.7 ZWL 1,585

12.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$15.03 ZWL 399

-28.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$20.10 ZWL 534

-62.69%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$101 ZWL 2,697

368.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

$5,959 ZWL 158.3K

89.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,103

$14.75 ZWL 392

322.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$25.41 ZWL 675

11.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,180

$60.7 ZWL 1,612

55.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,894

$45.84 ZWL 1,218

87.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$250 ZWL 6,654

185.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$178 ZWL 4,738

175.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$491 ZWL 13.0K

292.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$348 ZWL 9,258

310.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$808 ZWL 21.5K

-37.85%

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Victoria Falls

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Victoria Falls

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Victoria Falls

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Victoria Falls

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Victoria Falls

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Victoria Falls

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Victoria Falls

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $250 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $45 in Victoria Falls. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $250, with Victoria Falls cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇿🇼 Victoria Falls

🕒 Local time

21:29 9:29 PM

16:29 4:29 PM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

35,215

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ZWL = 3.76 USD

100 ZWL = 3.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZWL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 26.57 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.76 USD). 1 EUR = 29.65 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.37 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Victoria Falls 8,460 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Victoria Falls

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 about 29% cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $250 in Victoria Falls. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 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 Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $45 in Victoria Falls. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $908 in Victoria Falls versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 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.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.