Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria Falls and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria Falls and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $900 in Victoria Falls versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,451 in Victoria Falls versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Victoria Falls versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Victoria Falls costs roughly 28% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Victoria Falls 33% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 ZWL 264

$4.55 ฿153

117.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.63 ZWL 1,217

$46.18 ฿1,554

-1.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

Cappuccino

$5.85 ZWL 156

$3.06 ฿103

91.18%

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

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

$0.73 ฿24.42

38.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

$0.40 ฿13.40

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ZWL 45.08

$2.43 ฿81.8

-30.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$2.26 ฿76.0

-12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

$1.81 ฿60.9

-45.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$2.25 ฿75.8

-9.33%

Eggs

$3.64 ZWL 97.3

$2.25 ฿75.6

61.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.52 ZWL 67.1

$19.51 ฿656

-87.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 ZWL 158

$3.65 ฿123

62.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 ZWL 208

$13.05 ฿439

-40.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ZWL 78.3

$3.23 ฿109

-8.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 ZWL 80.7

$1.62 ฿54.4

87.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 81.2

$2.38 ฿80.2

27.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 ZWL 104

$2.03 ฿68.2

92.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

$1.50 ฿50.5

36.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$0.98 ฿32.93

101.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

$0.52 ฿17.40

194.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.29 ZWL 34.44

$4.44 ฿149

-70.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.99 ZWL 533

$18.32 ฿616

9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ZWL 22.53

$1.41 ฿47.49

-40.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ZWL 26.09

$1.04 ฿35.08

-5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.23

$1.31 ฿44.13

41.22%

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)

$24.85 ZWL 663

$122 ฿4,120

-79.70%

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

$25.20 ZWL 672

$13.59 ฿457

85.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

$18.70 ฿629

267.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ZWL 1,603

$60.5 ฿2,035

-0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 ZWL 394

$16.98 ฿572

-13.07%

Cinema Ticket

$19.87 ZWL 530

$9.07 ฿305

119.07%

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

$101 ZWL 2,682

$706 ฿23.8K

-85.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,015 ZWL 160.5K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-61.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.13 ZWL 404

$58.6 ฿1,970

-74.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 ZWL 678

$35.36 ฿1,190

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ZWL 1,625

$115 ฿3,885

-47.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.44 ZWL 1,186

$83.7 ฿2,818

-46.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ZWL 6,618

$626 ฿21.1K

-60.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,811

$445 ฿15.0K

-59.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ZWL 13.2K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-75.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ZWL 9,336

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-76.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 ZWL 21.3K

$500 ฿16.8K

59.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Victoria Falls: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Victoria Falls and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Victoria Falls vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $289 per month, with Victoria Falls 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

Victoria Falls vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria Falls is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Victoria Falls, 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: $248 in Victoria Falls versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $101 in Victoria Falls versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Victoria Falls – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $900 in Victoria Falls versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Victoria Falls but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Victoria Falls the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Victoria Falls 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, Victoria Falls 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.

Expats usually find Victoria Falls gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.