Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Chinhoyi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Chinhoyi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Bulawayo vs $646 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,024 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,403 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 19% more than Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Chinhoyi are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Chinhoyi 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

119.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.55 ZWL 788

$50.8 ZWL 1,356

-41.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 147

$4.53 ZWL 121

21.85%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

$0.98 ZWL 26.26

143.88%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

$0.34 ZWL 9.09

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

$0.24 ZWL 6.37

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

$0.99 ZWL 26.40

81.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

4.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$0.87 ZWL 23.14

14.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

$1.63 ZWL 43.58

10.43%

Eggs

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

-16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 ZWL 279

$10.80 ZWL 288

-3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZWL 104

$2.93 ZWL 78.1

32.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 ZWL 115

$4.05 ZWL 108

6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

$0.97 ZWL 25.89

52.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$0.97 ZWL 26.00

53.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

130.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

$0.98 ZWL 26.20

15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

$0.98 ZWL 26.10

17.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

$1.03 ZWL 27.38

34.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$0.51 ZWL 13.66

101.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

$0.84 ZWL 22.38

26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

$1.11 ZWL 29.68

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$6.89 ZWL 184

-27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

$0.48 ZWL 12.87

218.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

$1.02 ZWL 27.33

108.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

-49.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 ZWL 802

$30.39 ZWL 811

-1.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

$3.90 ZWL 104

-23.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

11.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$5.13 ZWL 137

-2.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

$1.38 ZWL 36.87

18.84%

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

$20.2K ZWL 537.6K

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

$23.9K ZWL 636.7K

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

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

$40.31 ZWL 1,075

77.65%

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

$18.35 ZWL 490

$17.66 ZWL 471

3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,585

$90.5 ZWL 2,415

48.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 ZWL 265

$9.86 ZWL 263

0.91%

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

$142 ZWL 3,781

$278 ZWL 7,419

-49.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,279 ZWL 194.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.35 ZWL 570

$19.59 ZWL 523

8.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 ZWL 357

$21.19 ZWL 565

-36.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

$35.13 ZWL 937

95.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

$40.05 ZWL 1,069

39.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,899

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,992

$180 ZWL 4,792

-37.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ZWL 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ZWL 11.1K

$305 ZWL 8,140

35.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 ZWL 8,034

$197 ZWL 5,260

52.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

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

Last update for Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 53% higher in Bulawayo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $51.0 in Chinhoyi. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Bulawayo vs $153 in Chinhoyi – so Chinhoyi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bulawayo vs Chinhoyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 19%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,149 per month in Bulawayo and $968 in Chinhoyi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $766 in Bulawayo and $646 in Chinhoyi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Chinhoyi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $766 in Bulawayo and $646 in Chinhoyi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chinhoyi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chinhoyi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bulawayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.