Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Bulawayo

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulawayo: $763 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Bulawayo
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Bulawayo Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Bulawayo

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$763

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Bulawayo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Bulawayo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $763 in Bulawayo.

Austin, TX $2,704
Bulawayo $763

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,192 in Bulawayo.

Austin, TX $4,133
Bulawayo $1,192

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,622 in Bulawayo.

Austin, TX $5,562
Bulawayo $1,622

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 254% more expensive than in Bulawayo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Bulawayo is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$4.58 ZWL 122

341.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$30.29 ZWL 809

180.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$4.89 ZWL 131

152.56%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.09 ZWL 55.9

161.72%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

634.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.37 ZWL 9.85

575.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$1.47 ZWL 39.14

448.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

$2.03 ZWL 54.2

342.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.66 ZWL 44.28

-31.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.01 ZWL 27.05

274.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.55 ZWL 41.32

109.68%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$1.91 ZWL 50.9

116.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$9.59 ZWL 256

36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$4.02 ZWL 107

255.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$4.46 ZWL 119

257.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.85 ZWL 49.29

136.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.60 ZWL 42.68

-9.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.42 ZWL 64.8

87.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.04 ZWL 27.89

302.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.28 ZWL 34.19

105.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.39 ZWL 37.02

69.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.10 ZWL 29.29

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.75 ZWL 19.93

188.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$1.54 ZWL 41.04

537.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$5.10 ZWL 136

188.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.35 ZWL 36.15

105.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.85 ZWL 49.48

88.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.77 ZWL 20.65

93.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$30.55 ZWL 816

32.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.94 ZWL 78.6

-9.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-18.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$5.04 ZWL 135

600.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.64 ZWL 43.75

-39.63%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$24.6K ZWL 656.4K

45.70%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$24.6K ZWL 657.7K

10.37%

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

$219 $219

$95.3 ZWL 2,547

129.99%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$17.21 ZWL 460

236.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$105 ZWL 2,816

-35.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$31.62 ZWL 845

83.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$20.07 ZWL 536

-26.16%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$9.86 ZWL 263

43.31%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$231 ZWL 6,175

552.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$3,512 ZWL 93.8K

510.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$20.96 ZWL 560

146.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$11.58 ZWL 309

280.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$45.58 ZWL 1,217

86.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$58.0 ZWL 1,548

81.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$176 ZWL 4,695

999.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$107 ZWL 2,863

1086.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$414 ZWL 11.1K

785.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$325 ZWL 8,679

677.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$2,053 ZWL 54.8K

271.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$2,046 ZWL 54.7K

56.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$306 ZWL 8,161

1570.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-54.73%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Bulawayo

$107 14.2% 91.6% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Bulawayo

$177 23.5% 56% $226

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Bulawayo

$91 12.1% 73.7% $257

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Bulawayo

$218 29% 36.9% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Bulawayo

$61 8.1% 52.4% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Bulawayo

$51 6.8% 40.4% $35

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Bulawayo

$46 6.2% 18.7% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $176 in Bulawayo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1571% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $30.00 in Bulawayo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $177 per month, with Bulawayo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇿🇼 Bulawayo

🕒 Local time

05:08 5:08 AM

12:08 12:08 PM

7 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

653,337

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 ZWL = 3.74 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZWL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇿🇼 Zimbabwean Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 26.71 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.74 USD). 1 EUR = 29.93 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

ZWL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Austin, TX Bulawayo 14,550 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Bulawayo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bulawayo wins on cost – living expenses run 254% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bulawayo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1571% higher in Austin, TX, 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: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $176 in Bulawayo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,704 per month in Austin, TX versus $763 in Bulawayo – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bulawayo runs roughly 33% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $763 in Bulawayo versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bulawayo but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Bulawayo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bulawayo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 254% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.