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 $768 per month in Bulawayo vs $902 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,450 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,997 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 15% cheaper than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Victoria Falls 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ZWL 122

$10.09 ZWL 270

-54.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ZWL 802

$45.80 ZWL 1,226

-34.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ZWL 150

Cappuccino

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

$6.15 ZWL 165

-62.11%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

$0.97 ZWL 26.03

-46.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

$0.48 ZWL 12.75

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

$1.76 ZWL 47.22

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

-20.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

$0.99 ZWL 26.44

1.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$3.59 ZWL 96.0

-51.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ZWL 278

$2.44 ZWL 65.4

326.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$5.94 ZWL 159

-33.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 ZWL 119

$8.14 ZWL 218

-45.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

$2.91 ZWL 78.0

-48.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

$2.93 ZWL 78.6

-48.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

$2.97 ZWL 79.6

-21.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

$3.90 ZWL 104

-72.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

$1.97 ZWL 52.8

-28.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

$1.54 ZWL 41.33

-34.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

$1.33 ZWL 35.71

14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ZWL 137

$20.30 ZWL 543

-74.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

$0.92 ZWL 24.57

-46.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ZWL 788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

$0.97 ZWL 26.02

135.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

$1.82 ZWL 48.67

-7.14%

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

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

$25.06 ZWL 671

180.33%

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

$18.25 ZWL 488

$25.46 ZWL 681

-28.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,579

$66.8 ZWL 1,789

100.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.90 ZWL 667

$60.6 ZWL 1,622

-58.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 ZWL 397

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 266

$20.20 ZWL 541

-50.84%

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

$139 ZWL 3,728

$101 ZWL 2,708

37.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,939 ZWL 159.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.94 ZWL 587

$14.79 ZWL 396

48.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.26 ZWL 355

$24.75 ZWL 662

-46.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

17.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

$44.10 ZWL 1,181

26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 ZWL 4,981

$253 ZWL 6,764

-26.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 3,000

$181 ZWL 4,843

-38.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.7K

$509 ZWL 13.6K

-7.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ZWL 11.0K

$346 ZWL 9,263

18.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,131 ZWL 57.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ZWL 54.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZWL 7,914

$791 ZWL 21.2K

-62.62%

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

Last update for Bulawayo: June 6, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Bulawayo versus $253 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 $46.00 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $248 – 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 17%, 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 $1,152 per month in Bulawayo and $1,353 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 $768 in Bulawayo and $902 in Victoria Falls. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $139 per month in Bulawayo and $101 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 $768, than in Victoria Falls at $902. 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.