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: $913 in Victoria Falls versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Victoria Falls versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,088 in Victoria Falls versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Victoria Falls costs roughly 27% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Victoria Falls 34% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ZWL 271

$4.56 ฿150

122.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.19 ZWL 1,207

$32.62 ฿1,073

38.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

Cappuccino

$5.92 ZWL 158

$2.80 ฿92.2

111.43%

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

$0.99 ZWL 26.35

$0.88 ฿28.94

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 14.00

$0.49 ฿16.08

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ZWL 131

$2.39 ฿78.5

105.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ZWL 52.2

$1.79 ฿58.8

8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.92

$1.44 ฿47.40

-32.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

$1.58 ฿52.1

29.75%

Eggs

$3.56 ZWL 95.2

$2.13 ฿69.9

67.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 ZWL 67.1

$19.92 ฿655

-87.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ZWL 159

$3.43 ฿113

73.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 ZWL 213

$11.33 ฿372

-29.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$2.95 ฿97.0

4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 ZWL 81.5

$1.72 ฿56.6

77.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 ZWL 78.5

$2.32 ฿76.5

26.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 ZWL 104

$2.08 ฿68.4

86.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

$1.36 ฿44.65

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$1.10 ฿36.13

80.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.57

$0.57 ฿18.89

159.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ZWL 94.4

$4.27 ฿140

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 ZWL 536

$18.42 ฿606

8.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

$2.22 ฿73.0

-9.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ZWL 27.51

$1.07 ฿35.32

-3.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.47

$1.49 ฿49.06

24.16%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.5K ฿902.6K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$24.95 ZWL 667

$103 ฿3,380

-75.73%

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

$24.88 ZWL 665

$10.99 ฿361

126.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 ZWL 1,823

$17.51 ฿576

289.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ZWL 1,615

$53.5 ฿1,760

12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 ZWL 396

$11.20 ฿368

32.32%

Cinema Ticket

$19.66 ZWL 525

$7.48 ฿246

162.83%

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

$100 ZWL 2,682

$557 ฿18.3K

-81.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,028 ZWL 161.1K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-49.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.77 ZWL 395

$64.1 ฿2,107

-76.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.29 ZWL 676

$29.07 ฿956

-13.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ZWL 1,629

$96.0 ฿3,155

-36.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.08 ZWL 1,204

$90.3 ฿2,970

-50.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ZWL 6,612

$730 ฿24.0K

-66.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZWL 4,829

$500 ฿16.4K

-63.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 ZWL 13.3K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-76.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 ZWL 9,204

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-71.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$812 ZWL 21.7K

$503 ฿16.6K

61.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Victoria Falls: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in Victoria Falls and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 61% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Victoria Falls vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $248 vs $273, with Victoria Falls cheaper for home cooking.

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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 61% 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: $247 in Victoria Falls versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $100 in Victoria Falls versus $557 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 $45.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $913 in Victoria Falls versus $1,253 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 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.