Cost of Living Comparison Between Chinhoyi and Harare Cost of Living Comparison Between Chinhoyi and Harare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $644 in Chinhoyi versus $991 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,031 in Chinhoyi versus $1,663 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,418 in Chinhoyi versus $2,335 in Harare.

Living in Chinhoyi costs roughly 35% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chinhoyi 52% lower, Harare 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

$10.11 ZWL 271

-79.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.87 ZWL 1,335

$49.12 ZWL 1,315

1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 ZWL 122

$7.01 ZWL 188

-35.09%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ZWL 26.37

$2.92 ZWL 78.1

-66.10%

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

$0.32 ZWL 8.46

$0.68 ZWL 18.12

-52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.40

$0.43 ZWL 11.59

-44.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ZWL 26.31

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

-35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.5

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

4.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 41.34

$1.62 ZWL 43.48

-4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ZWL 23.39

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

-14.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ZWL 43.11

$1.93 ZWL 51.7

-16.58%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 55.9

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 ZWL 289

$10.86 ZWL 291

-0.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 ZWL 78.7

$6.46 ZWL 173

-54.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$6.21 ZWL 166

-36.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.06

$3.01 ZWL 80.6

-67.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.57

$1.68 ZWL 45.09

-38.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.21

$2.20 ZWL 59.0

-55.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

$1.71 ZWL 45.73

-40.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.09

$1.49 ZWL 39.76

-34.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.53

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.75

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

-50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 20.64

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

-18.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.79

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

Wine (Bottle)

$7.12 ZWL 191

$8.94 ZWL 239

-20.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZWL 13.73

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

-54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.09

$1.77 ZWL 47.25

-45.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.23

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 ZWL 794

$42.56 ZWL 1,139

-30.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 ZWL 109

$5.05 ZWL 135

-19.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 55.1

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

4.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$5.14 ZWL 137

-1.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ZWL 39.01

$1.61 ZWL 43.06

-9.32%

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

$19.6K ZWL 525.9K

$20.0K ZWL 535.8K

-1.85%

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

$23.0K ZWL 615.3K

$23.6K ZWL 632.9K

-2.78%

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

$40.29 ZWL 1,079

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

-31.54%

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

$17.46 ZWL 468

$17.40 ZWL 466

0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.4 ZWL 2,367

$94.1 ZWL 2,519

-6.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ZWL 1,426

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 ZWL 379

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 ZWL 267

$9.94 ZWL 266

0.30%

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

$282 ZWL 7,562

$279 ZWL 7,477

1.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,193 ZWL 192.6K

$7,278 ZWL 194.8K

-1.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.08 ZWL 511

$19.51 ZWL 522

-2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.93 ZWL 560

$21.18 ZWL 567

-1.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.09 ZWL 939

$34.22 ZWL 916

2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.32 ZWL 1,079

$40.55 ZWL 1,085

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,809

$280 ZWL 7,502

-35.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 ZWL 25.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ZWL 7,935

$695 ZWL 18.6K

-57.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$919 ZWL 24.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$199 ZWL 5,339

$393 ZWL 10.5K

-49.20%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Harare: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Harare pays 97% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Chinhoyi vs $49.00 in Harare. Groceries flip the comparison at $153 vs $220, with Chinhoyi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chinhoyi and Harare differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($644 vs $991 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Harare earns 97% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Chinhoyi – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $49.00 in Harare. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $644 per month in Chinhoyi versus $991 in Harare – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $644 in Chinhoyi versus $991 in Harare, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chinhoyi but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Chinhoyi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chinhoyi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.