Cost of Living Comparison Between Chinhoyi and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chinhoyi and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Chinhoyi vs $747 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $994 per month in Chinhoyi vs $1,184 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,348 per month in Chinhoyi vs $1,620 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Chinhoyi is about 14% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chinhoyi and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Chinhoyi 54% lower, Bulawayo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

$4.42 ZWL 118

-56.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.65 ZWL 1,083

$29.78 ZWL 794

36.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 ZWL 122

$4.89 ZWL 130

-6.34%

Cappuccino

$0.98 ZWL 26.21

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

-54.42%

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

$0.34 ZWL 9.08

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ZWL 6.95

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ZWL 26.20

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

-33.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

-0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 41.06

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

-3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ZWL 22.81

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 ZWL 44.67

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

9.80%

Eggs

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

3.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.83 ZWL 315

$9.46 ZWL 252

25.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

$3.99 ZWL 106

-24.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.94 ZWL 105

$4.46 ZWL 119

-11.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 27.02

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

-45.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.23

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

-36.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.07

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

-58.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.24

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

-15.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 27.03

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

-29.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.97

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

-52.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ZWL 21.97

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ZWL 52.1

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

34.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.19 ZWL 192

$5.14 ZWL 137

39.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.87

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

-62.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

-49.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.12

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

34.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.13 ZWL 803

$29.64 ZWL 790

1.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

30.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 ZWL 131

$4.89 ZWL 130

0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ZWL 37.50

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

-13.50%

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

$21.7K ZWL 578.8K

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

-13.28%

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

$27.8K ZWL 739.7K

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

13.26%

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

$39.98 ZWL 1,066

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

-58.53%

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

$19.79 ZWL 527

$17.81 ZWL 475

11.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 ZWL 1,795

$110 ZWL 2,922

-38.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 ZWL 262

$9.92 ZWL 264

-0.71%

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

$454 ZWL 12.1K

$231 ZWL 6,168

95.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,203 ZWL 245.3K

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

161.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.29 ZWL 647

$21.48 ZWL 572

13.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.38 ZWL 570

$11.53 ZWL 307

85.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.10 ZWL 1,042

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

-13.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.08 ZWL 1,095

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

-29.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,646

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ZWL 4,847

$109 ZWL 2,915

66.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ZWL 8,048

$319 ZWL 8,514

-5.47%

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)

$202 ZWL 5,395

$302 ZWL 8,045

-32.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

-8.73%

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

Last update for Chinhoyi: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 49% higher in Bulawayo, 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 $41.00 in Chinhoyi versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Groceries tell a different story – $157 in Chinhoyi vs $177 in Bulawayo – so Chinhoyi 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

Chinhoyi vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 17%, 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 $961 per month in Chinhoyi and $1,121 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $640 in Chinhoyi and $747 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Chinhoyi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $640 in Chinhoyi and $747 in Bulawayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chinhoyi – 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 Chinhoyi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bulawayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.