Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Zimbabwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Zimbabwe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,319 per month in Canada vs $491 in Zimbabwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Canada vs $821 in Zimbabwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,437 per month in Canada vs $1,151 in Zimbabwe, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 372% higher than in Zimbabwe on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 74% above the global median, while Zimbabwe is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.63 CA$26.11
$7.10 ZWL 190
162.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.0 CA$104
$50.9 ZWL 1,359
45.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.92 CA$15.31
$6.06 ZWL 162
80.20%
Cappuccino
$3.76 CA$5.28
$2.69 ZWL 71.7
39.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 CA$3.07
$0.73 ZWL 19.36
200.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 CA$2.43
$0.49 ZWL 12.99
255.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.93 CA$8.31
$1.47 ZWL 39.29
303.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95 CA$8.35
$1.96 ZWL 52.4
203.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.28 CA$3.20
$1.57 ZWL 42.02
45.22%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 CA$3.74
$1.03 ZWL 27.38
159.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.78 CA$5.30
$1.83 ZWL 48.77
106.56%
Eggs
$3.50 CA$4.90
$2.05 ZWL 54.8
70.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.70 CA$16.40
$10.19 ZWL 272
14.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.30 CA$17.24
$5.51 ZWL 147
123.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.44 CA$21.65
$5.84 ZWL 156
164.38%
Apples (1kg)
$4.28 CA$6.00
$2.65 ZWL 70.6
61.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 CA$2.04
$1.72 ZWL 45.84
-15.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.01 CA$5.62
$2.07 ZWL 55.1
93.72%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.27 CA$5.98
$1.61 ZWL 42.97
165.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.69 CA$3.77
$1.56 ZWL 41.64
72.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.65 CA$3.71
$1.80 ZWL 48.15
47.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 CA$3.70
$1.09 ZWL 29.02
142.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 CA$2.65
$1.08 ZWL 28.74
75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.77 CA$20.71
$1.38 ZWL 36.83
970.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.32 CA$18.67
$6.84 ZWL 182
94.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.96 CA$4.15
$1.15 ZWL 30.56
157.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.28 CA$4.59
$1.79 ZWL 47.65
83.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.62 CA$3.67
$1.01 ZWL 27.00
159.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.1 CA$110
$29.60 ZWL 790
163.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.42 CA$4.79
$5.14 ZWL 137
-33.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.50 CA$2.10
$2.02 ZWL 53.8
-25.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.07 CA$40.76
$5.13 ZWL 137
466.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 CA$1.68
$1.62 ZWL 43.12
-25.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.5K CA$35.7K
$23.1K ZWL 616.7K
10.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.6K CA$28.8K
$24.4K ZWL 650.7K
-15.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 CA$212
$53.8 ZWL 1,435
181.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.70 CA$65.5
$17.22 ZWL 459
171.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.8 CA$86.7
$90.0 ZWL 2,401
-31.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.36 CA$60.8
$47.26 ZWL 1,261
-8.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.05 CA$25.31
$11.08 ZWL 295
62.91%
Cinema Ticket
$11.51 CA$16.13
$10.13 ZWL 270
13.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$806 CA$1,130
$225 ZWL 5,995
258.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.1K CA$17.0K
$8,093 ZWL 215.9K
50.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 CA$77.6
$19.09 ZWL 509
190.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.80 CA$58.6
$19.59 ZWL 523
113.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.7 CA$126
$37.25 ZWL 994
140.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 CA$149
$41.76 ZWL 1,114
153.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,329 CA$1,864
$332 ZWL 8,862
300.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,207 CA$1,692
$229 ZWL 6,115
426.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,112 CA$2,961
$810 ZWL 21.6K
160.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,833 CA$2,570
$546 ZWL 14.6K
235.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,639 CA$6,503
$936 ZWL 25.0K
395.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,849 CA$5,396
$395 ZWL 10.5K
875.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Canada
Zimbabwe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,948 CA$4,133
$341 ZWL 9,090
765.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.33
13.5
-53.11%

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

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zimbabwe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,281 in Canada vs $105 in Zimbabwe. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,481 in Ottawa and $398 in Harare.

Average salary: $2,904 in Canada vs $355 in Zimbabwe. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1120% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 113% more in Canada.

Public transport is 713% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 718% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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
Canada vs Zimbabwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 352% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Canada consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zimbabwe, contributing to the overall 352% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $800 a realistic budget in Canada or in Zimbabwe?
$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zimbabwe, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Canada or to Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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