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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $451 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $702 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $954 in Zanzibar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 181% more expensive than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zanzibar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

-3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

102.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

44.60%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.18 TZS 5,635

34.40%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.60 TZS 1,539

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.31 TZS 792

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.94 TZS 5,011

24.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.77 TZS 7,141

34.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.77 TZS 4,574

25.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.74 TZS 1,897

147.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.87 TZS 2,236

149.43%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.28 TZS 5,872

59.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

184.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.92 TZS 7,541

12.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.13 TZS 2,908

42.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.75 TZS 1,943

221.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.59 TZS 1,530

252.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.93 TZS 2,386

64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.58 TZS 4,062

-6.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.74 TZS 1,916

33.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.46 TZS 1,184

10.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.11 TZS 5,442

109.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

102.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.75 TZS 4,520

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.31 TZS 3,387

106.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.65 TZS 1,664

110.77%

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.76 TZS 7,125

410.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.20 TZS 3,101

13.33%

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

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

$13.57 ฿443

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

29.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

-19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

183.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-7.75%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

348.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

99.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

650.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

505.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$148 TZS 382.9K

312.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

341.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$202 TZS 520.2K

938.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$150 TZS 386.0K

908.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-90.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-76.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$324 TZS 834.5K

57.04%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $148 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 57% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $138 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 181% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 57% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $148 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 112% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $451 in Zanzibar versus $1,265 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 181% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.