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: $657 in Chinhoyi versus $1,004 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,026 in Chinhoyi versus $1,655 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in Chinhoyi versus $2,306 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 51% lower, Harare 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ZWL 52.1

$9.90 ZWL 251

-79.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,290

$49.08 ZWL 1,242

3.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ZWL 111

$6.80 ZWL 172

-35.29%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ZWL 25.01

$3.00 ZWL 75.8

-67.00%

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

$0.34 ZWL 8.61

$0.66 ZWL 16.72

-48.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.03

$0.47 ZWL 11.81

-48.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 ZWL 25.74

$1.48 ZWL 37.39

-31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 49.29

$1.99 ZWL 50.3

-2.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ZWL 37.21

$1.61 ZWL 40.70

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ZWL 20.82

$1.01 ZWL 25.58

-18.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 42.08

$1.92 ZWL 48.64

-13.54%

Eggs

$2.15 ZWL 54.4

$2.08 ZWL 52.7

3.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZWL 273

$11.06 ZWL 280

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 ZWL 73.9

$6.53 ZWL 165

-55.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.10 ZWL 104

$6.23 ZWL 158

-34.19%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 24.79

$3.04 ZWL 76.9

-67.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 25.92

$1.70 ZWL 43.04

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 24.56

$2.22 ZWL 56.1

-56.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 24.72

$1.66 ZWL 42.07

-40.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 25.88

$1.55 ZWL 39.30

-34.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 24.56

$1.98 ZWL 50.1

-51.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.11

$1.04 ZWL 26.24

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 19.57

$1.01 ZWL 25.46

-23.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 28.63

$1.08 ZWL 27.35

4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.92 ZWL 175

$8.69 ZWL 220

-20.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.04

$1.17 ZWL 29.56

-58.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 25.70

$1.80 ZWL 45.54

-43.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 24.58

$0.98 ZWL 24.78

-1.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 ZWL 753

$42.32 ZWL 1,071

-29.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 ZWL 103

$5.06 ZWL 128

-19.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 51.2

$1.95 ZWL 49.25

3.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 127

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ZWL 36.26

$1.61 ZWL 40.85

-11.18%

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

$20.2K ZWL 511.7K

$20.1K ZWL 508.8K

0.57%

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

$23.8K ZWL 602.5K

$23.3K ZWL 589.4K

2.22%

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

$40.71 ZWL 1,030

$57.3 ZWL 1,450

-28.99%

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

$17.57 ZWL 445

$17.82 ZWL 451

-1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.4 ZWL 2,261

$93.1 ZWL 2,355

-4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ZWL 1,332

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.42 ZWL 365

Cinema Ticket

$10.19 ZWL 258

$9.85 ZWL 249

3.45%

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

$279 ZWL 7,063

$275 ZWL 6,952

1.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,438 ZWL 188.2K

$7,312 ZWL 185.0K

1.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.75 ZWL 500

$19.61 ZWL 496

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.96 ZWL 530

$21.59 ZWL 546

-2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.06 ZWL 862

$34.05 ZWL 862

0.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.40 ZWL 1,022

$39.85 ZWL 1,008

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ZWL 9,941

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZWL 4,640

$274 ZWL 6,936

-33.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ZWL 24.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ZWL 7,597

$707 ZWL 17.9K

-57.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$892 ZWL 22.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 9,977

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ZWL 5,080

$395 ZWL 9,992

-49.16%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Harare: April 25, 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: $51.0 in Chinhoyi vs $49.00 in Harare. Groceries flip the comparison at $152 vs $221, 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 53% in total monthly costs ($657 vs $1,004 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 $51.0 versus $49.00 in Harare. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $657 per month in Chinhoyi versus $1,004 in Harare – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $657 in Chinhoyi versus $1,004 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 53% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.