Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Phuket

🙂 Solo nomad: Zanzibar is 50.8% cheaper than Phuket without rent, and 63.4% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Zanzibar is 48.2% cheaper than Phuket without rent, and 70% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.75 TZS 12.2K
$4.68 ฿151
1.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.88 TZS 56K
$46.4 ฿1,502
-52.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.82 TZS 14.9K
$8.65 ฿280
-32.72%
Cappuccino
$2.16 TZS 5,531
$3.09 ฿100
-30.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 TZS 1,510
$0.73 ฿23.53
-19.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 TZS 784
$0.37 ฿11.95
-16.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 TZS 4,876
$2.39 ฿77.4
-20.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 TZS 6,976
$3.62 ฿117
-24.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 TZS 4,371
$2.24 ฿72.5
-23.66%
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 TZS 1,840
$1.8 ฿58.2
-60.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.8 TZS 2,044
$2.24 ฿72.3
-64.29%
Eggs
$3 TZS 7,673
$2.23 ฿72.1
34.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$19.31 ฿625
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.27 TZS 5,804
$3.77 ฿122
-39.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.66 TZS 11.9K
$13.05 ฿422
-64.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 TZS 7,303
$3.28 ฿106
-13.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 TZS 3,042
$1.63 ฿52.6
-26.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.74 TZS 1,906
$2.4 ฿77.7
-69.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.56 TZS 1,438
$1.99 ฿64.3
-71.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.95 TZS 2,436
$1.53 ฿49.62
-37.91%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 TZS 4,008
$1.49 ฿48.11
5.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 TZS 1,934
$1.02 ฿32.87
-25.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 TZS 1,197
$0.48 ฿15.61
-2.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.1 TZS 5,365
$4.32 ฿140
-51.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.23 TZS 26.2K
$21.68 ฿702
-52.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 TZS 4,567
$1.77 ฿57.3
0.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 TZS 3,502
$2.79 ฿90.4
-50.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.6 TZS 1,537
$1.35 ฿43.74
-55.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.76 ฿380
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.15 ฿102
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1 ฿32.3
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.63 TZS 6,730
$13.64 ฿442
-80.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 TZS 3,088
$1.3 ฿42.2
-6.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$27.4K ฿885.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.9K ฿1.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$123 ฿3,970
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.57 TZS 27.1K
$13.93 ฿451
-24.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.08 TZS 59.1K
$18.24 ฿590
26.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.88 TZS 53.4K
$60.8 ฿1,966
-65.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.11 ฿554
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.62 TZS 24.6K
$9.07 ฿294
6.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$694 ฿22.5K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$15.9K ฿514.4K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.24 TZS 33.9K
$57.5 ฿1,861
-76.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.5 TZS 44.8K
$34.51 ฿1,117
-49.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$15.53 TZS 39.7K
$115 ฿3,727
-86.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$13.33 TZS 34.1K
$84.8 ฿2,743
-84.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$147 TZS 376.3K
$611 ฿19.8K
-75.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$99.8 TZS 255.4K
$442 ฿14.3K
-77.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$198 TZS 506.7K
$2,014 ฿65.2K
-90.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$148 TZS 379.7K
$1,460 ฿47.2K
-89.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$41.1K TZS 105.1M
$4,244 ฿137.3K
867.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$12.1K TZS 31M
$2,886 ฿93.4K
319.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$340 TZS 869K
$697 ฿22.5K
-51.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10
5.33
87.62%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: October 29, 2025

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

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