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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Bulawayo vs $649 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,049 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,735 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,449 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 20% more than Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Chinhoyi are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 42% lower, Chinhoyi 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ZWL 123

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

129.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.15 ZWL 811

$49.66 ZWL 1,335

-39.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$4.44 ZWL 119

24.32%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ZWL 64.5

$0.98 ZWL 26.34

144.90%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.98

$0.34 ZWL 9.26

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

$0.26 ZWL 7.00

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ZWL 46.12

$0.98 ZWL 26.25

75.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ZWL 68.0

$1.96 ZWL 52.8

29.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 41.14

$1.49 ZWL 40.01

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$0.83 ZWL 22.30

21.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.81

$1.64 ZWL 44.09

8.54%

Eggs

$1.79 ZWL 48.18

$2.10 ZWL 56.4

-14.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 ZWL 281

$10.85 ZWL 292

-3.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ZWL 105

$3.06 ZWL 82.4

28.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 ZWL 118

$3.90 ZWL 105

12.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.30

$0.98 ZWL 26.38

57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.74

$0.99 ZWL 26.54

49.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 59.6

$1.03 ZWL 27.67

115.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.26

$0.99 ZWL 26.61

14.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ZWL 31.84

$0.97 ZWL 26.15

21.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.49

$0.97 ZWL 26.16

40.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.54

$0.52 ZWL 13.85

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.44

$0.83 ZWL 22.35

27.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ZWL 39.77

$1.08 ZWL 28.94

37.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ZWL 133

$6.85 ZWL 184

-27.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

$0.48 ZWL 12.80

208.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ZWL 58.7

$0.98 ZWL 26.26

122.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 14.01

$1.03 ZWL 27.58

-49.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 816

$29.56 ZWL 795

2.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ZWL 79.2

$3.94 ZWL 106

-25.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

$1.96 ZWL 52.8

16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$4.92 ZWL 132

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.65

$1.39 ZWL 37.44

19.42%

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

$19.8K ZWL 533.1K

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

$23.2K ZWL 623.9K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,950

$40.60 ZWL 1,092

78.62%

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

$18.20 ZWL 489

$17.64 ZWL 474

3.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 ZWL 3,577

$89.7 ZWL 2,413

48.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 678

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 264

$9.84 ZWL 265

-0.10%

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

$138 ZWL 3,698

$274 ZWL 7,375

-49.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,197 ZWL 193.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.07 ZWL 593

$19.30 ZWL 519

14.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.37 ZWL 360

$21.68 ZWL 583

-38.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ZWL 1,828

$34.65 ZWL 932

96.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ZWL 1,461

$40.75 ZWL 1,096

33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,938

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,997

$179 ZWL 4,819

-37.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 11.0K

$304 ZWL 8,175

34.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,128

$202 ZWL 5,444

49.31%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 49% 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 $50.0 in Chinhoyi. Groceries tell a different story – $179 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 20%, 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 $1,170 per month in Bulawayo and $973 in Chinhoyi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $780 in Bulawayo and $649 in Chinhoyi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $780 in Bulawayo and $649 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.