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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $640 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Bulawayo vs $994 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,348 in Chinhoyi, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 17% more than Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Chinhoyi are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 46% lower, Chinhoyi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

127.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ZWL 794

$40.65 ZWL 1,083

-26.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$4.58 ZWL 122

6.77%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

$0.98 ZWL 26.21

119.39%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

$0.34 ZWL 9.08

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

$0.26 ZWL 6.95

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

$0.98 ZWL 26.20

51.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

$1.54 ZWL 41.06

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

$0.86 ZWL 22.81

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

$1.68 ZWL 44.67

-8.93%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ZWL 252

$11.83 ZWL 315

-20.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZWL 106

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

31.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZWL 119

$3.94 ZWL 105

13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

$1.01 ZWL 27.02

83.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

$1.02 ZWL 27.23

56.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

$1.02 ZWL 27.07

143.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

-2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

$1.02 ZWL 27.24

18.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

$1.01 ZWL 27.03

42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

$0.52 ZWL 13.97

111.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

$0.82 ZWL 21.97

-3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

$1.96 ZWL 52.1

-25.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$7.19 ZWL 192

-28.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

$0.52 ZWL 13.87

169.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

97.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

$0.98 ZWL 26.12

-25.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 790

$30.13 ZWL 803

-1.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

$3.97 ZWL 106

-23.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$4.91 ZWL 131

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

$1.41 ZWL 37.50

15.60%

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

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

$21.7K ZWL 578.8K

15.32%

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

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

$27.8K ZWL 739.7K

-11.71%

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

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

$39.98 ZWL 1,066

141.15%

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

$17.81 ZWL 475

$19.79 ZWL 527

-10.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 ZWL 2,922

$67.4 ZWL 1,795

62.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 ZWL 264

$9.85 ZWL 262

0.71%

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

$231 ZWL 6,168

$454 ZWL 12.1K

-48.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

$9,203 ZWL 245.3K

-61.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 572

$24.29 ZWL 647

-11.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.53 ZWL 307

$21.38 ZWL 570

-46.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

$39.10 ZWL 1,042

16.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

$41.08 ZWL 1,095

41.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,646

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,915

$182 ZWL 4,847

-39.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,514

$302 ZWL 8,048

5.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,045

$202 ZWL 5,395

49.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

9.57%

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

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: September 6, 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 $41.00 in Chinhoyi. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Bulawayo vs $157 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 17%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,121 per month in Bulawayo and $961 in Chinhoyi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $747 in Bulawayo and $640 in Chinhoyi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $747 in Bulawayo and $640 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.