Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $892 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,467 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,041 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 16% cheaper than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 46% lower, Victoria Falls 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$10.14 ZWL 270

-56.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ZWL 794

$45.50 ZWL 1,212

-34.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ZWL 130

Cappuccino

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

$5.93 ZWL 158

-63.74%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

$1.03 ZWL 27.32

-53.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

$0.52 ZWL 13.79

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

$5.09 ZWL 136

-70.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

-22.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

$0.97 ZWL 25.90

5.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

$1.95 ZWL 51.9

-21.54%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$3.67 ZWL 97.8

-48.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ZWL 252

$2.55 ZWL 67.9

270.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZWL 106

$5.83 ZWL 155

-31.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZWL 119

$7.93 ZWL 211

-43.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

-37.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

$3.08 ZWL 82.1

-48.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

$2.99 ZWL 79.6

-17.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

$4.07 ZWL 108

-75.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-26.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

-44.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

$1.54 ZWL 41.11

-48.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

$3.42 ZWL 91.1

-57.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$19.76 ZWL 527

-73.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-62.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$0.99 ZWL 26.32

104.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

$1.83 ZWL 48.88

-10.93%

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

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

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

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

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

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

$25.49 ZWL 679

278.23%

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

$17.81 ZWL 475

$24.79 ZWL 661

-28.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 ZWL 2,922

$68.5 ZWL 1,826

60.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

$60.8 ZWL 1,621

-49.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

$14.80 ZWL 395

34.53%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 ZWL 264

$20.39 ZWL 543

-51.35%

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

$231 ZWL 6,168

$98.9 ZWL 2,636

134.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

$6,112 ZWL 162.9K

-42.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 572

$14.95 ZWL 399

43.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.53 ZWL 307

$25.49 ZWL 679

-54.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

$59.1 ZWL 1,574

-23.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

$45.68 ZWL 1,217

27.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,646

$247 ZWL 6,586

-29.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,915

$178 ZWL 4,756

-38.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

$497 ZWL 13.3K

-18.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,514

$344 ZWL 9,155

-7.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,045

$808 ZWL 21.5K

-62.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Bulawayo versus $247 in Victoria Falls. 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 168% higher in Victoria Falls, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $45.00 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $249 – 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Victoria Falls is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,338 in Victoria Falls. 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 $892 in Victoria Falls. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $231 per month in Bulawayo and $98.9 in Victoria Falls. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $747, than in Victoria Falls at $892. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Victoria Falls it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Victoria Falls makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.