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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Bulawayo vs $618 in Masvingo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,108 in Masvingo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,599 in Masvingo, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 24% more than Masvingo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Masvingo are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Masvingo 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$9.87 ZWL 263

-55.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.55 ZWL 788

$49.50 ZWL 1,321

-40.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 147

$7.12 ZWL 190

-22.47%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

$3.00 ZWL 80.2

-20.33%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

$0.72 ZWL 19.19

-27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

$1.51 ZWL 40.34

19.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

23.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

$1.62 ZWL 43.11

-1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

-2.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

-12.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 ZWL 279

$10.85 ZWL 289

-3.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZWL 104

$6.26 ZWL 167

-37.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 ZWL 115

$6.22 ZWL 166

-30.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

$3.02 ZWL 80.7

-50.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$1.67 ZWL 44.60

-10.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

$2.26 ZWL 60.3

3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

$1.71 ZWL 45.67

-33.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

-26.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

$2.06 ZWL 54.9

-32.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$1.01 ZWL 26.89

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

$0.94 ZWL 24.95

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

$1.07 ZWL 28.57

43.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$9.32 ZWL 249

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

$1.18 ZWL 31.49

29.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

$1.70 ZWL 45.36

25.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 ZWL 802

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

$5.05 ZWL 135

-41.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

$2.06 ZWL 54.9

7.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$5.09 ZWL 136

-1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

7.19%

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

$20.4K ZWL 544.0K

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

$23.1K ZWL 615.5K

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

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

$58.5 ZWL 1,562

22.35%

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

$18.35 ZWL 490

$17.53 ZWL 468

4.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,585

$92.1 ZWL 2,457

45.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 ZWL 265

$10.10 ZWL 269

-1.49%

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

$142 ZWL 3,781

$275 ZWL 7,346

-48.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,255 ZWL 193.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.35 ZWL 570

$19.70 ZWL 526

8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 ZWL 357

$21.61 ZWL 576

-38.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

$34.69 ZWL 925

98.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

$40.11 ZWL 1,070

39.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,899

$60.3 ZWL 1,608

204.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,992

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$300 ZWL 7,998

53.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ZWL 11.1K

$152 ZWL 4,065

172.02%

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

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 Masvingo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Bulawayo versus $60.3 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 $50.0 in Masvingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 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 24%, 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 $927 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 $766 in Bulawayo and $618 in Masvingo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $142 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 $766 in Bulawayo and $618 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.