Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Masvingo Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Masvingo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Bulawayo vs $640 in Masvingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,111 in Masvingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,735 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,582 in Masvingo, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 22% more than Masvingo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ZWL 123

$9.83 ZWL 264

-53.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.15 ZWL 810

$49.35 ZWL 1,325

-38.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$7.13 ZWL 191

-22.58%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

$2.92 ZWL 78.4

-17.81%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

$0.72 ZWL 19.36

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

$0.46 ZWL 12.38

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

$1.95 ZWL 52.4

29.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

$1.60 ZWL 43.04

-4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

$0.99 ZWL 26.47

2.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

$1.88 ZWL 50.4

-5.32%

Eggs

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

$2.09 ZWL 56.1

-14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 ZWL 280

$10.81 ZWL 290

-3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ZWL 105

$6.46 ZWL 173

-39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 ZWL 117

$6.53 ZWL 175

-33.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

$3.00 ZWL 80.4

-48.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

$1.62 ZWL 43.45

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

$2.21 ZWL 59.5

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

$1.66 ZWL 44.59

-31.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

$1.55 ZWL 41.65

-23.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

-31.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

$0.98 ZWL 26.30

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

$1.01 ZWL 27.19

4.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

$1.08 ZWL 29.09

37.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ZWL 133

$9.07 ZWL 243

-45.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

$1.13 ZWL 30.46

30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

$1.77 ZWL 47.54

23.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 815

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

$5.04 ZWL 135

-41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

14.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$5.06 ZWL 136

-2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

$1.60 ZWL 43.05

3.75%

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

$19.8K ZWL 532.6K

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

$23.8K ZWL 639.4K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

$58.8 ZWL 1,579

23.33%

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

$18.20 ZWL 489

$17.85 ZWL 479

1.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 ZWL 3,572

$90.8 ZWL 2,437

46.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 677

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 264

$10.13 ZWL 272

-2.96%

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

$138 ZWL 3,692

$275 ZWL 7,379

-49.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,410 ZWL 198.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.07 ZWL 593

$19.59 ZWL 526

12.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.37 ZWL 359

$21.31 ZWL 572

-37.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

$34.64 ZWL 930

96.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

$39.66 ZWL 1,065

36.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,931

$60.8 ZWL 1,634

201.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,993

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

$304 ZWL 8,170

52.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 11.0K

$148 ZWL 3,964

176.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,116

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 Masvingo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Bulawayo versus $60.8 in Masvingo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $49.00 in Masvingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $220 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Masvingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 22%, 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 $960 in Masvingo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Masvingo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $780 in Bulawayo and $640 in Masvingo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $138 per month in Bulawayo and $275 in Masvingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Bulawayo and $640 in Masvingo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Masvingo – 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 Masvingo. 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.