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: $630 in Chinhoyi versus $1,056 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Chinhoyi versus $1,734 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,373 in Chinhoyi versus $2,411 in Harare.

Living in Chinhoyi costs roughly 40% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chinhoyi 54% lower, Harare 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$9.98 ZWL 266

-80.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.98 ZWL 1,065

$39.89 ZWL 1,063

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.43 ZWL 118

$5.85 ZWL 156

-24.27%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ZWL 26.27

$3.19 ZWL 85.1

-68.97%

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

$0.35 ZWL 9.21

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

-62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ZWL 6.39

$0.53 ZWL 14.02

-54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

-35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

2.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ZWL 39.18

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 ZWL 22.97

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

-15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.35

$1.69 ZWL 44.93

-3.55%

Eggs

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

-0.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 ZWL 323

$11.86 ZWL 316

2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

$5.47 ZWL 146

-45.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.05 ZWL 108

$6.76 ZWL 180

-40.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

-66.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$1.60 ZWL 42.51

-39.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

-52.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

$1.48 ZWL 39.40

-33.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.97

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

-43.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

$1.81 ZWL 48.31

-46.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

-59.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZWL 20.44

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

-25.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 ZWL 187

$8.85 ZWL 236

-20.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.90

$1.40 ZWL 37.40

-62.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ZWL 26.13

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

-50.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

-2.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.47 ZWL 812

$60.0 ZWL 1,598

-49.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ZWL 104

$3.97 ZWL 106

-1.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

-0.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$5.14 ZWL 137

-2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ZWL 37.34

$1.84 ZWL 48.96

-23.91%

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

$22.2K ZWL 591.3K

$22.3K ZWL 594.0K

-0.45%

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

$27.1K ZWL 723.0K

$27.0K ZWL 719.2K

0.54%

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

$40.57 ZWL 1,081

$54.3 ZWL 1,448

-25.33%

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

$19.88 ZWL 530

$21.37 ZWL 569

-6.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 ZWL 1,815

$68.1 ZWL 1,814

0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 ZWL 1,320

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.14 ZWL 590

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 ZWL 269

$9.83 ZWL 262

2.64%

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

$457 ZWL 12.2K

$459 ZWL 12.2K

-0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,890 ZWL 236.9K

$8,889 ZWL 236.9K

0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.34 ZWL 649

$23.99 ZWL 639

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.44 ZWL 571

$21.48 ZWL 573

-0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.49 ZWL 1,053

$39.84 ZWL 1,062

-0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.30 ZWL 1,127

$41.34 ZWL 1,102

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,808

$315 ZWL 8,400

-42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ZWL 22.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ZWL 7,895

$746 ZWL 19.9K

-60.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$198 ZWL 5,280

$422 ZWL 11.2K

-53.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

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

Last update for Chinhoyi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Harare: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Harare pays 113% 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: $40.00 in Chinhoyi vs $40.00 in Harare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $219 per month, with Chinhoyi cheaper across the board.

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 68% in total monthly costs ($630 vs $1,056 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 113% lower in Harare. 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 $40.00 versus $40.00 in Harare. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $630 per month in Chinhoyi versus $1,056 in Harare – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Chinhoyi versus $1,056 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 68% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.