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

🙂 Solo nomad: Zanzibar is 53.7% cheaper than Phuket without rent, and 63.9% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Zanzibar is 48% cheaper than Phuket without rent, and 71.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.80 TZS 12.5K
$4.59 ฿147
4.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.36 TZS 58.3K
$46.83 ฿1,497
-52.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.67 TZS 14.8K
$8.70 ฿278
-34.83%
Cappuccino
$2.25 TZS 5,859
$2.92 ฿93.5
-22.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 TZS 1,566
$0.68 ฿21.86
-11.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 TZS 862
$0.40 ฿12.66
-17.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.96 TZS 5,096
$2.51 ฿80.2
-21.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 TZS 6,874
$3.80 ฿122
-30.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 TZS 4,668
$2.16 ฿69.1
-17.13%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 TZS 1,894
$1.88 ฿60.1
-61.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.88 TZS 2,287
$2.16 ฿69.0
-59.26%
Eggs
$2.88 TZS 7,514
$2.22 ฿71.0
29.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$19.57 ฿626
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.28 TZS 5,947
$3.80 ฿122
-40.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.67 TZS 12.2K
$13.41 ฿429
-65.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 TZS 7,375
$3.26 ฿104
-13.19%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 TZS 3,110
$1.61 ฿51.5
-26.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.79 TZS 2,053
$2.31 ฿73.8
-65.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.61 TZS 1,584
$2.06 ฿65.8
-70.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 TZS 2,646
$1.61 ฿51.3
-36.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.56 TZS 4,078
$1.44 ฿46.13
8.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 TZS 1,921
$1.03 ฿32.91
-28.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 TZS 1,287
$0.48 ฿15.34
2.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.02 TZS 5,263
$4.50 ฿144
-55.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.48 TZS 24.7K
$19.18 ฿613
-50.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 TZS 4,563
$1.82 ฿58.3
-3.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 TZS 3,465
$2.69 ฿86.0
-50.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.61 TZS 1,589
$1.38 ฿44.04
-55.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.76 ฿376
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.11 ฿99.3
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.00 ฿32.09
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.79 TZS 7,263
$13.74 ฿439
-79.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.16 TZS 3,017
$1.30 ฿41.49
-10.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$27.4K ฿874.5K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$33.0K ฿1.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$125 ฿3,993
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.46 TZS 27.3K
$13.74 ฿439
-23.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.01 TZS 60.0K
$18.61 ฿595
23.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.50 TZS 56.0K
$60.6 ฿1,936
-64.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.15 ฿548
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.58 TZS 25.0K
$9.01 ฿288
6.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$698 ฿22.3K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$16.1K ฿515.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$13.56 TZS 35.3K
$59.2 ฿1,893
-77.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.17 TZS 44.7K
$34.86 ฿1,115
-50.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$15.27 TZS 39.8K
$114 ฿3,651
-86.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$13.50 TZS 35.2K
$85.8 ฿2,743
-84.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$149 TZS 389.0K
$619 ฿19.8K
-75.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$99.8 TZS 260.1K
$437 ฿14.0K
-77.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$200 TZS 521.7K
$2,075 ฿66.3K
-90.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$147 TZS 383.2K
$1,509 ฿48.2K
-90.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$37.8K TZS 98.4M
$3,764 ฿120.3K
903.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$11.5K TZS 30.1M
$2,694 ฿86.1K
328.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zanzibar
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$321 TZS 836.7K
$528 ฿16.9K
-39.25%
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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

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

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