🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $612 in Shurugwi versus $1,261 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $982 in Shurugwi versus $2,286 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,352 in Shurugwi versus $3,310 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Shurugwi costs roughly 51% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Shurugwi54% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.81ZWL 263
$4.56฿149
115.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.23ZWL 1,104
$46.63฿1,519
-11.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.19ZWL 193
$8.47฿276
-15.11%
Cappuccino
$1.64ZWL 43.95
$3.03฿98.6
-45.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71ZWL 18.99
$0.69฿22.45
2.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43ZWL 11.44
$0.37฿11.92
16.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.52ZWL 40.80
$2.49฿81.0
-38.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98ZWL 53.0
$3.66฿119
-45.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.61ZWL 43.18
$2.18฿71.0
-26.15%
White Bread(500g)
$0.99ZWL 26.39
$1.90฿62.0
-47.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.87ZWL 50.1
$2.20฿71.6
-15.00%
Eggs
$2.13ZWL 57.1
$2.22฿72.4
-4.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.81ZWL 289
$19.99฿651
-45.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.50ZWL 174
$3.66฿119
77.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.57ZWL 176
$13.25฿432
-50.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.00ZWL 80.3
$3.23฿105
-7.12%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65ZWL 44.13
$1.70฿55.3
-2.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25ZWL 60.3
$2.39฿78.0
-5.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.63ZWL 43.70
$2.08฿67.7
-21.63%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49ZWL 39.81
$1.59฿51.8
-6.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.99ZWL 53.4
$1.48฿48.31
34.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.96ZWL 25.67
$1.03฿33.54
-6.80%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01ZWL 27.03
$0.52฿16.83
94.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.13ZWL 30.30
$4.25฿138
-73.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.94ZWL 239
$18.79฿612
-52.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18ZWL 31.66
$1.76฿57.2
-32.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79ZWL 47.94
$2.76฿89.8
-35.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.36฿44.32
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.14ZWL 138
$3.14฿102
63.69%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.06ZWL 55.0
$1.04฿33.74
98.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.02ZWL 134
$13.77฿448
-63.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.59ZWL 42.67
$1.34฿43.79
18.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.9KZWL 531.9K
$27.7K฿901.4K
-28.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KZWL 617.3K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-31.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$57.3ZWL 1,534
$124฿4,025
-53.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.35ZWL 465
$13.52฿440
28.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.7ZWL 2,454
$18.69฿609
390.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.8฿2,013
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.08ZWL 270
$9.14฿298
10.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$278ZWL 7,430
$703฿22.9K
-60.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,369ZWL 197.3K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-53.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.29ZWL 516
$59.5฿1,937
-67.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.62ZWL 579
$35.07฿1,142
-38.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$35.06ZWL 939
$115฿3,754
-69.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$40.54ZWL 1,085
$84.1฿2,737
-51.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$619฿20.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$433฿14.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,062฿67.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,511฿49.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,646฿118.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.31
5.33
149.72%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Shurugwi: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $41.00 in Shurugwi vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $293 per month, with Shurugwi 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
Shurugwi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Shurugwi?
Shurugwi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $918 in Shurugwi and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $278 in Shurugwi versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Shurugwi or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Shurugwi – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Shurugwi or Phuket?
At $612 in Shurugwi versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shurugwi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Shurugwi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Shurugwi or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Shurugwi 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.
Which city is safer, Shurugwi or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Shurugwi and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Shurugwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.