Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $581 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $872 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,163 in Zanzibar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 116% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Zanzibar 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

-2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

49.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

61.82%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.13 TZS 5,598

31.46%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.63 TZS 1,649

39.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.31 TZS 805

58.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.93 TZS 5,067

23.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.58 TZS 6,772

43.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.07 TZS 5,438

-13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.75 TZS 1,978

92.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$0.86 TZS 2,251

83.72%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.68 TZS 7,052

-20.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

160.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$2.26 TZS 5,939

51.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

86.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.92 TZS 7,665

1.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.11 TZS 2,919

54.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$0.74 TZS 1,951

213.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.58 TZS 1,528

258.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.98 TZS 2,565

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.55 TZS 4,079

-12.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.74 TZS 1,946

48.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.48 TZS 1,269

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.17 TZS 5,697

96.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

92.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.55 TZS 4,062

20.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.36 TZS 3,567

114.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.29 TZS 759

665.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

-20.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$0.74 TZS 1,951

44.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$2.62 TZS 6,884

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.16 TZS 3,039

28.45%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

-44.17%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

39.43%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

-4.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

-64.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

80.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

-22.57%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

387.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

73.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

523.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

595.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$150 TZS 393.4K

388.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$101 TZS 264.6K

396.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$203 TZS 534.6K

927.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$149 TZS 392.4K

710.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

-90.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

-78.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$312 TZS 820.9K

61.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $150 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 61% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $166 per month, with Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzibar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 61% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $150 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Zanzibar – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $581 in Zanzibar versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zanzibar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zanzibar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.