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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $607 in Masvingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Bulawayo vs $999 in Masvingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,391 in Masvingo, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 23% more than Masvingo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Masvingo are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 46% lower, Masvingo 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 119

$9.97 ZWL 268

-55.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ZWL 800

$39.21 ZWL 1,053

-24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$6.13 ZWL 165

-20.23%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ZWL 57.9

$3.13 ZWL 84.0

-31.31%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.76

$0.93 ZWL 25.08

-48.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.67

$0.54 ZWL 14.37

-25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.78

$1.47 ZWL 39.34

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.5

$1.95 ZWL 52.4

4.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.73

$1.53 ZWL 41.19

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.25

$0.99 ZWL 26.63

3.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 41.07

$1.70 ZWL 45.60

-10.00%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.6

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

-1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ZWL 254

$11.78 ZWL 316

-19.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZWL 107

$5.62 ZWL 151

-29.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZWL 120

$6.62 ZWL 178

-32.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ZWL 49.68

$3.07 ZWL 82.3

-39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 43.08

$1.59 ZWL 42.81

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.7

$2.06 ZWL 55.4

20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ZWL 26.90

$1.48 ZWL 39.87

-32.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ZWL 32.60

$1.73 ZWL 46.34

-30.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.62

$1.78 ZWL 47.92

-19.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.54

$1.16 ZWL 31.09

-5.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.29

$1.03 ZWL 27.66

-23.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 39.14

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

-25.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ZWL 138

$9.08 ZWL 244

-43.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

$1.37 ZWL 36.75

2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

-2.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.63

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 796

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.7

$4.06 ZWL 109

-25.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 54.4

$2.04 ZWL 54.8

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$5.11 ZWL 137

-4.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.66

$1.84 ZWL 49.43

-11.41%

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

$25.0K ZWL 672.5K

$22.1K ZWL 594.4K

13.14%

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

$24.5K ZWL 658.0K

$27.6K ZWL 740.7K

-11.17%

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

$96.4 ZWL 2,589

$54.4 ZWL 1,461

77.26%

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

$17.81 ZWL 478

$21.34 ZWL 573

-16.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 ZWL 2,944

$67.3 ZWL 1,808

62.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 830

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 535

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 ZWL 266

$10.17 ZWL 273

-2.46%

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

$231 ZWL 6,214

$454 ZWL 12.2K

-49.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 ZWL 94.5K

$8,943 ZWL 240.1K

-60.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 577

$24.35 ZWL 654

-11.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.53 ZWL 310

$21.25 ZWL 571

-45.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ZWL 1,219

$38.91 ZWL 1,045

16.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ZWL 1,561

$41.28 ZWL 1,108

40.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,681

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,936

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,578

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,106

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 Masvingo: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $39.00 in Masvingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $218 – 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 23%, 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 $1,121 per month in Bulawayo and $910 in Masvingo. 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 $607 in Masvingo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $231 per month in Bulawayo and $454 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 $747 in Bulawayo and $607 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.