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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Chinhoyi vs $780 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,049 per month in Chinhoyi vs $1,257 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,449 per month in Chinhoyi vs $1,735 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Chinhoyi is about 17% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chinhoyi and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Chinhoyi 52% lower, Bulawayo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

$4.57 ZWL 123

-56.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.66 ZWL 1,335

$30.15 ZWL 811

64.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 ZWL 119

$5.52 ZWL 148

-19.57%

Cappuccino

$0.98 ZWL 26.34

$2.40 ZWL 64.5

-59.17%

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

$0.34 ZWL 9.26

$0.48 ZWL 12.98

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ZWL 7.00

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

-39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ZWL 26.25

$1.72 ZWL 46.12

-43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.8

$2.53 ZWL 68.0

-22.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 ZWL 40.01

$1.53 ZWL 41.14

-2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 ZWL 22.30

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

-17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 44.09

$1.78 ZWL 47.81

-7.87%

Eggs

$2.10 ZWL 56.4

$1.79 ZWL 48.18

17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 ZWL 292

$10.44 ZWL 281

3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ZWL 82.4

$3.92 ZWL 105

-21.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.90 ZWL 105

$4.37 ZWL 118

-10.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.38

$1.54 ZWL 41.30

-36.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.54

$1.48 ZWL 39.74

-33.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.67

$2.22 ZWL 59.6

-53.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.61

$1.13 ZWL 30.26

-12.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.15

$1.18 ZWL 31.84

-17.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.16

$1.36 ZWL 36.49

-28.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.85

$1.02 ZWL 27.54

-49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZWL 22.35

$1.06 ZWL 28.44

-21.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 28.94

$1.48 ZWL 39.77

-27.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.85 ZWL 184

$4.94 ZWL 133

38.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.80

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

-67.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ZWL 26.26

$2.18 ZWL 58.7

-55.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.58

$0.52 ZWL 14.01

98.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.56 ZWL 795

$30.35 ZWL 816

-2.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 ZWL 106

$2.94 ZWL 79.2

34.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 ZWL 52.8

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

-14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ZWL 132

$4.95 ZWL 133

-0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ZWL 37.44

$1.66 ZWL 44.65

-16.27%

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

$19.8K ZWL 533.1K

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

$23.2K ZWL 623.9K

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

$40.60 ZWL 1,092

$72.5 ZWL 1,950

-44.02%

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

$17.64 ZWL 474

$18.20 ZWL 489

-3.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 ZWL 2,413

$133 ZWL 3,577

-32.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 678

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 ZWL 265

$9.83 ZWL 264

0.10%

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

$274 ZWL 7,375

$138 ZWL 3,698

99.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,197 ZWL 193.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.30 ZWL 519

$22.07 ZWL 593

-12.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.68 ZWL 583

$13.37 ZWL 360

62.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.65 ZWL 932

$68.0 ZWL 1,828

-49.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.75 ZWL 1,096

$54.3 ZWL 1,461

-24.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,938

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ZWL 4,819

$111 ZWL 2,997

60.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 ZWL 8,175

$409 ZWL 11.0K

-25.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 ZWL 5,444

$302 ZWL 8,128

-33.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: May 31, 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 $50.0 in Chinhoyi versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Chinhoyi vs $179 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 20%, 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 $973 per month in Chinhoyi and $1,170 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $649 in Chinhoyi and $780 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $649 in Chinhoyi and $780 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.