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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Bulawayo vs $803 in Mutare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,245 in Mutare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,686 in Mutare, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 5% cheaper than Mutare, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Mutare are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Mutare 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$10.18 ZWL 272

-56.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.55 ZWL 788

$51.0 ZWL 1,359

-42.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 147

$4.40 ZWL 117

25.45%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

$1.27 ZWL 33.86

88.19%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

$0.71 ZWL 19.00

-26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

$0.47 ZWL 12.44

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

$1.33 ZWL 35.38

35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

$1.77 ZWL 47.24

38.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

$1.26 ZWL 33.73

26.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$0.97 ZWL 25.92

3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

$1.28 ZWL 34.11

40.63%

Eggs

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

$1.91 ZWL 51.0

-5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 ZWL 279

$3.08 ZWL 82.1

239.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZWL 104

$3.93 ZWL 105

-1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 ZWL 115

$4.91 ZWL 131

-12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

-23.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$1.64 ZWL 43.77

-9.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

13.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

9.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

$1.57 ZWL 41.87

-26.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

$1.01 ZWL 26.98

37.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$0.49 ZWL 13.07

110.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

11.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

$1.11 ZWL 29.62

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$5.99 ZWL 160

-17.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

$1.13 ZWL 30.10

35.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

$1.65 ZWL 44.01

29.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

$0.52 ZWL 13.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 ZWL 802

$26.63 ZWL 710

12.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

-0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

13.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$4.98 ZWL 133

0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

$1.62 ZWL 43.11

1.23%

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

$20.1K ZWL 535.7K

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

$23.3K ZWL 621.6K

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

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

$58.9 ZWL 1,572

21.56%

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

$18.35 ZWL 490

$15.09 ZWL 403

21.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,585

$60.9 ZWL 1,624

120.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

$39.80 ZWL 1,062

-35.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.11 ZWL 136

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 ZWL 265

$9.93 ZWL 265

0.20%

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

$142 ZWL 3,781

$147 ZWL 3,915

-3.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,303 ZWL 194.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.35 ZWL 570

$9.82 ZWL 262

117.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 ZWL 357

$9.56 ZWL 255

39.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

$24.60 ZWL 656

179.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

$20.03 ZWL 534

179.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,899

$356 ZWL 9,490

-48.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,992

$248 ZWL 6,617

-54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$764 ZWL 20.4K

-39.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ZWL 11.1K

$401 ZWL 10.7K

3.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

$248 ZWL 6,616

754.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 ZWL 8,034

$252 ZWL 6,713

19.67%

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 Mutare: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Bulawayo versus $356 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 20% 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 $51.0 in Mutare. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Bulawayo vs $153 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 5%, 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 $1,149 per month in Bulawayo and $1,205 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 $766 in Bulawayo and $803 in Mutare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% 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 $766 in Bulawayo and $803 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.