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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $872 in Victoria Falls.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,434 in Victoria Falls.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,995 in Victoria Falls.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Victoria Falls 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$9.97 ZWL 268

-52.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$45.30 ZWL 1,216

0.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$5.94 ZWL 159

-50.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.98 ZWL 26.25

-29.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.49 ZWL 13.12

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.74 ZWL 46.84

38.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

13.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.02 ZWL 27.43

79.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.01 ZWL 54.1

7.96%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.69 ZWL 99.1

-40.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$2.46 ZWL 66.1

702.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.87 ZWL 158

-38.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.91 ZWL 212

71.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.93 ZWL 78.6

11.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.98 ZWL 80.1

-45.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.09 ZWL 83.0

-22.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.07 ZWL 109

-48.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

-28.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

-50.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.53 ZWL 41.02

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.34 ZWL 36.06

229.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$20.37 ZWL 547

-4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.84 ZWL 22.47

63.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.83 ZWL 49.17

-25.68%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$24.70 ZWL 663

392.71%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$25.27 ZWL 678

-46.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$67.0 ZWL 1,798

-72.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$59.8 ZWL 1,605

0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$14.80 ZWL 397

15.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$19.78 ZWL 531

-56.07%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$100 ZWL 2,689

592.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,925 ZWL 159.1K

164.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$15.08 ZWL 405

294.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$25.41 ZWL 682

36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$60.7 ZWL 1,631

88.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$45.14 ZWL 1,212

84.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$250 ZWL 6,710

145.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$177 ZWL 4,751

146.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$499 ZWL 13.4K

319.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$356 ZWL 9,569

323.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$787 ZWL 21.1K

-35.42%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $250 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $250, 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Victoria Falls earns 55% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $250 in Victoria Falls. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $100 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 $45.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $872 in Victoria Falls versus $1,265 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 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.