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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,231 in Mutare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,735 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,682 in Mutare, rent included.

Bulawayo and Mutare have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ZWL 123

$10.03 ZWL 269

-54.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.15 ZWL 810

$49.07 ZWL 1,318

-38.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$4.53 ZWL 122

21.85%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

$1.26 ZWL 33.84

90.48%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

$0.71 ZWL 19.19

-32.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

$0.44 ZWL 11.74

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

$1.38 ZWL 37.02

24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

$1.83 ZWL 49.20

38.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

$1.22 ZWL 32.86

25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

$1.02 ZWL 27.47

-0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

$1.34 ZWL 35.89

32.84%

Eggs

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

-6.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 ZWL 280

$3.02 ZWL 81.0

245.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ZWL 105

$3.94 ZWL 106

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 ZWL 117

$4.90 ZWL 131

-10.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

$1.97 ZWL 53.0

-21.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

$1.69 ZWL 45.48

-12.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

$2.06 ZWL 55.3

7.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

$0.98 ZWL 26.41

15.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

$1.57 ZWL 42.09

-24.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

$0.99 ZWL 26.48

37.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

$0.52 ZWL 13.85

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

$0.95 ZWL 25.63

11.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

$1.07 ZWL 28.78

38.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ZWL 133

$5.91 ZWL 159

-16.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

$1.17 ZWL 31.53

26.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

$1.72 ZWL 46.13

26.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 815

$26.71 ZWL 717

13.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

$2.97 ZWL 79.8

-1.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

10.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$4.97 ZWL 134

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

$1.57 ZWL 42.10

5.73%

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

$20.0K ZWL 536.3K

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

$23.6K ZWL 633.4K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

$57.6 ZWL 1,547

25.84%

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

$18.20 ZWL 489

$14.79 ZWL 397

23.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 ZWL 3,572

$60.7 ZWL 1,629

119.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 677

$40.43 ZWL 1,086

-37.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.01 ZWL 135

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 264

$10.08 ZWL 271

-2.48%

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

$138 ZWL 3,692

$147 ZWL 3,943

-6.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,177 ZWL 192.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.07 ZWL 593

$9.84 ZWL 264

124.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.37 ZWL 359

$9.37 ZWL 252

42.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

$24.77 ZWL 665

174.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

$20.04 ZWL 538

171.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,931

$347 ZWL 9,314

-47.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,993

$247 ZWL 6,627

-54.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

$756 ZWL 20.3K

-38.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 11.0K

$393 ZWL 10.6K

3.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

$247 ZWL 6,645

730.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,116

$252 ZWL 6,766

19.95%

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 Mutare: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Bulawayo versus $347 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. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $49.00 in Mutare. Groceries tell a different story – $179 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,170 per month in Bulawayo and $1,170 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Mutare – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $138 per month in Bulawayo and $147 in Mutare. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Bulawayo and $780 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.