🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $615 in Shurugwi versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Shurugwi versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,364 in Shurugwi versus $3,279 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Shurugwi costs roughly 50% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Shurugwi54% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.81ZWL 248
$4.63฿151
111.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.49ZWL 1,024
$46.84฿1,532
-13.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.14ZWL 181
$8.84฿289
-19.23%
Cappuccino
$1.73ZWL 43.75
$3.00฿98.0
-42.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72ZWL 18.18
$0.74฿24.25
-2.70%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44ZWL 11.13
$0.37฿11.95
18.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.47ZWL 37.08
$2.44฿79.8
-39.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05ZWL 51.9
$3.61฿118
-43.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56ZWL 39.45
$2.26฿73.9
-30.97%
White Bread(500g)
$0.97ZWL 24.55
$1.84฿60.1
-47.28%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.89ZWL 47.83
$2.24฿73.4
-15.63%
Eggs
$2.11ZWL 53.3
$2.32฿75.7
-9.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.79ZWL 273
$19.67฿643
-45.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.54ZWL 165
$3.65฿119
79.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.32ZWL 160
$13.10฿428
-51.76%
Apples(1kg)
$2.90ZWL 73.5
$3.39฿111
-14.45%
Banana(1kg)
$1.67ZWL 42.28
$1.64฿53.7
1.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21ZWL 55.8
$2.41฿79.0
-8.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.70ZWL 42.99
$2.03฿66.4
-16.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55ZWL 39.20
$1.56฿50.9
-0.64%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98ZWL 50.1
$1.50฿48.94
32.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02ZWL 25.76
$1.02฿33.50
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93ZWL 23.65
$0.49฿16.00
89.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.07ZWL 27.17
$4.45฿145
-75.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.57ZWL 217
$18.88฿617
-54.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12ZWL 28.35
$1.78฿58.1
-37.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72ZWL 43.47
$2.75฿90.1
-37.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.40฿45.81
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.03ZWL 127
$3.12฿102
61.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05ZWL 51.8
$1.00฿32.67
105.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.85ZWL 123
$14.09฿461
-65.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.62ZWL 40.96
$1.35฿44.19
20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.0KZWL 505.5K
$27.2K฿888.9K
-26.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KZWL 586.4K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-29.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$58.9ZWL 1,491
$125฿4,087
-52.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.53ZWL 444
$13.57฿444
29.18%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.3ZWL 2,311
$18.52฿606
393.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$61.5฿2,010
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿551
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.05ZWL 254
$9.19฿300
9.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$273ZWL 6,905
$698฿22.8K
-60.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,340ZWL 185.7K
$15.6K฿509.9K
-52.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.75ZWL 500
$57.8฿1,889
-65.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$21.09ZWL 534
$35.24฿1,152
-40.15%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$35.20ZWL 891
$113฿3,699
-68.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.81ZWL 1,007
$86.4฿2,825
-53.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$616฿20.1K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$446฿14.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,048฿67.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,492฿48.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779฿123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shurugwi
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524฿17.1K
-
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: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $40.00 in Shurugwi vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $292 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 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $923 in Shurugwi and $1,847 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 $273 in Shurugwi versus $698 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 $40.00 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 $615 in Shurugwi versus $1,232 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 100% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.