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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $646 per month in Chinhoyi vs $766 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,024 per month in Chinhoyi vs $1,274 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,403 per month in Chinhoyi vs $1,782 in Bulawayo, rent included.

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

Both Chinhoyi and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Chinhoyi 52% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

$4.42 ZWL 118

-54.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ZWL 1,356

$29.55 ZWL 788

71.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ZWL 121

$5.52 ZWL 147

-17.93%

Cappuccino

$0.98 ZWL 26.26

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

-59.00%

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

$0.34 ZWL 9.09

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.37

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ZWL 26.40

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

-45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

-4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ZWL 23.14

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

-13.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.58

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

-9.44%

Eggs

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

19.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 ZWL 288

$10.46 ZWL 279

3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 ZWL 78.1

$3.89 ZWL 104

-24.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 ZWL 108

$4.31 ZWL 115

-6.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.89

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

-34.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.00

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

-34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

-56.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.20

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

-13.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.10

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

-14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.38

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

-25.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.66

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

-50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ZWL 22.38

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

-20.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.68

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

-27.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 ZWL 184

$4.97 ZWL 133

38.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.87

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

-68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 27.33

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

-52.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

96.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.39 ZWL 811

$30.04 ZWL 802

1.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 ZWL 104

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

31.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

-9.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$5.02 ZWL 134

2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ZWL 36.87

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

-15.85%

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

$20.2K ZWL 537.6K

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

$23.9K ZWL 636.7K

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

$40.31 ZWL 1,075

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

-43.71%

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

$17.66 ZWL 471

$18.35 ZWL 490

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.5 ZWL 2,415

$134 ZWL 3,585

-32.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

Cinema Ticket

$9.86 ZWL 263

$9.95 ZWL 265

-0.90%

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

$278 ZWL 7,419

$142 ZWL 3,781

96.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,279 ZWL 194.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.59 ZWL 523

$21.35 ZWL 570

-8.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.19 ZWL 565

$13.38 ZWL 357

58.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.13 ZWL 937

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

-48.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ZWL 1,069

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

-28.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,899

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,792

$112 ZWL 2,992

60.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ZWL 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ZWL 8,140

$414 ZWL 11.1K

-26.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 ZWL 5,260

$301 ZWL 8,034

-34.52%

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 Chinhoyi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 53% 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 $51.0 in Chinhoyi versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Chinhoyi vs $180 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 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 $968 per month in Chinhoyi and $1,149 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $646 in Chinhoyi and $766 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% 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 $646 in Chinhoyi and $766 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.