Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Mutare Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Mutare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $797 in Mutare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,204 in Mutare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,612 in Mutare, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 6% cheaper than Mutare, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Mutare are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 46% lower, Mutare 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$10.08 ZWL 269

-56.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ZWL 794

$40.29 ZWL 1,074

-26.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$4.46 ZWL 119

9.64%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

$1.23 ZWL 32.66

74.80%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

$0.78 ZWL 20.90

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

$0.51 ZWL 13.72

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

$1.34 ZWL 35.63

10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$1.82 ZWL 48.38

11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

$1.23 ZWL 32.79

29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

$0.98 ZWL 26.23

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

$1.28 ZWL 34.08

19.53%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$1.85 ZWL 49.29

2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ZWL 252

$2.98 ZWL 79.3

217.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZWL 106

$4.07 ZWL 108

-1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZWL 119

$5.08 ZWL 135

-12.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

-8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

$1.61 ZWL 42.86

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

27.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

$1.03 ZWL 27.33

-2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

$1.67 ZWL 44.52

-27.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

$1.02 ZWL 27.31

41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

$0.52 ZWL 13.83

111.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

$1.03 ZWL 27.47

-23.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

$1.19 ZWL 31.61

22.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$6.15 ZWL 164

-16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

$1.22 ZWL 32.58

14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

$1.68 ZWL 44.73

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

$0.73 ZWL 19.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 790

$27.24 ZWL 726

8.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

$2.96 ZWL 78.8

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$2.03 ZWL 54.2

-0.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$5.08 ZWL 136

-3.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

$1.85 ZWL 49.26

-11.89%

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

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

$22.3K ZWL 594.4K

12.29%

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

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

$24.1K ZWL 642.3K

1.68%

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

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

$54.5 ZWL 1,452

76.96%

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

$17.81 ZWL 475

$15.19 ZWL 405

17.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 ZWL 2,922

$58.8 ZWL 1,567

86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

$39.65 ZWL 1,057

-22.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

$4.89 ZWL 130

307.16%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 ZWL 264

$10.08 ZWL 269

-1.59%

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

$231 ZWL 6,168

$145 ZWL 3,869

59.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

$9,188 ZWL 244.9K

-61.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 572

$9.90 ZWL 264

116.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.53 ZWL 307

$9.47 ZWL 252

21.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

$24.87 ZWL 663

82.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

$19.84 ZWL 529

192.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,646

$345 ZWL 9,188

-49.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,915

$252 ZWL 6,713

-56.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

$739 ZWL 19.7K

-45.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,514

$395 ZWL 10.5K

-19.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

$245 ZWL 6,531

744.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,045

$250 ZWL 6,650

20.98%

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 Mutare: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Bulawayo versus $345 in Mutare. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Bulawayo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $40.00 in Mutare. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Bulawayo vs $155 in Mutare – so Mutare 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 Mutare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mutare is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,195 in Mutare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, 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 $747 in Bulawayo and $797 in Mutare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $747 in Bulawayo and $797 in Mutare, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mutare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.