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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $439 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $701 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $962 in Zanzibar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 185% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zanzibar 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

-4.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

106.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

51.37%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.27 TZS 5,963

34.80%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.60 TZS 1,587

21.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.34 TZS 880

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.90 TZS 4,978

27.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.69 TZS 7,051

40.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.70 TZS 4,452

32.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.73 TZS 1,921

147.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.87 TZS 2,292

158.62%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.87 TZS 7,534

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$2.36 TZS 6,194

54.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

174.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.94 TZS 7,715

9.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.19 TZS 3,116

36.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$0.80 TZS 2,101

197.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.56 TZS 1,471

262.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.94 TZS 2,475

62.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.50 TZS 3,946

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.79 TZS 2,068

24.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.50 TZS 1,311

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.02 TZS 5,289

119.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

89.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.79 TZS 4,690

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.31 TZS 3,438

104.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.63 TZS 1,666

123.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$2.77 TZS 7,270

409.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.16 TZS 3,036

12.93%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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 ฿4,120

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

$13.59 ฿457

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

31.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

-18.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

187.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

-6.59%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

337.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

99.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

660.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

509.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$149 TZS 390.6K

320.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$101 TZS 266.1K

338.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$202 TZS 529.6K

910.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$150 TZS 392.5K

897.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

-90.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

-77.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$316 TZS 829.5K

58.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $149 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 58% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $139 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 185% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $149 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 108% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $439 in Zanzibar versus $1,250 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 185% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.