For one person, living is cheaper in Zimbabwe: $864 a month against $2,080 in Germany, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Germany and in Zimbabwe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,080 in Germany versus $864 in Zimbabwe.
Germany $2,080
Zimbabwe $864
Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,130 in Germany versus $1,423 in Zimbabwe.
Germany $3,130
Zimbabwe $1,423
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,180 in Germany versus $1,981 in Zimbabwe.
Germany $4,180
Zimbabwe $1,981
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Germany: monthly costs span $1,337 to $2,681, compared to $579–$1,065 in Zimbabwe. City choice carries more weight in Germany.
🌍
Living in Germany is roughly 141% more expensive than in Zimbabwe on average.
📊
Germany (53% above) and Zimbabwe (36% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.60€14.88
$6.28ZWL 167
164.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.8€64.4
$40.61ZWL 1,079
76.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.12€10.86
$5.55ZWL 147
118.38%
Cappuccino
$3.96€3.55
$2.58ZWL 68.6
53.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.36€3.01
$0.74ZWL 19.55
354.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89€2.59
$0.48ZWL 12.74
502.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.07€4.54
$1.47ZWL 39.04
244.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.50€4.03
$1.98ZWL 52.5
127.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.26€1.13
$1.49ZWL 39.69
-15.44%
White Bread(500g)
$2.20€1.97
$1.02ZWL 27.22
115.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.54€3.17
$1.52ZWL 40.46
132.89%
Eggs
$3.88€3.48
$1.89ZWL 50.3
105.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.24€12.76
$9.84ZWL 261
44.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.90€10.66
$4.97ZWL 132
139.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.68€18.53
$5.60ZWL 149
269.29%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28€2.94
$2.72ZWL 72.3
20.59%
Banana(1kg)
$2.05€1.83
$1.73ZWL 45.89
18.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.31€2.07
$1.97ZWL 52.4
17.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.29€3.84
$1.36ZWL 36.02
215.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53€1.37
$1.62ZWL 42.97
-5.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50€1.34
$1.56ZWL 41.56
-3.85%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.64€1.47
$1.15ZWL 30.54
42.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02€0.91
$0.99ZWL 26.30
3.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.69€8.68
$2.05ZWL 54.4
372.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.01€5.38
$6.92ZWL 184
-13.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12€1.01
$1.24ZWL 32.88
-9.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56€1.40
$1.92ZWL 51.0
-18.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.85€3.45
$0.98ZWL 26.06
292.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$69.7€62.5
$39.26ZWL 1,043
77.59%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.34€4.78
$2.92ZWL 77.7
82.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.81€2.52
$1.97ZWL 52.3
42.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$38.83€34.80
$5.04ZWL 134
670.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13€1.91
$1.78ZWL 47.24
19.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K€29.2K
$24.8KZWL 659.1K
31.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.7K€33.8K
$27.5KZWL 729.4K
37.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$342€307
$51.2ZWL 1,361
567.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.87€22.29
$18.70ZWL 497
32.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.49€43.45
$70.0ZWL 1,860
-30.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.42€35.32
$42.11ZWL 1,119
-6.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.47€24.62
$20.29ZWL 539
35.39%
Cinema Ticket
$14.65€13.13
$10.07ZWL 267
45.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$611€547
$287ZWL 7,613
113.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.3K€15.5K
$7,672ZWL 203.8K
125.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1€79.8
$19.37ZWL 515
359.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.07€37.70
$17.62ZWL 468
138.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.3€88.1
$40.22ZWL 1,069
144.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131€117
$42.91ZWL 1,140
204.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$934€837
$299ZWL 7,942
212.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$718€644
$241ZWL 6,409
197.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,704€1,527
$736ZWL 19.6K
131.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,294€1,159
$557ZWL 14.8K
132.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,944€5,326
$924ZWL 24.6K
543.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,958€3,547
$397ZWL 10.6K
895.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Germany
Zimbabwe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,290€2,948
$369ZWL 9,804
791.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.96
13.77
-71.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Germany: October 25, 2026
Last update for Zimbabwe: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Germany
$718 34.6%
Zimbabwe
$241 27.9% ↓ 66.4%$477
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
$415 20%
Zimbabwe
$140 16.2% ↓ 66.3%$276
🛒Groceries & Markets
Germany
$335 16.1%
Zimbabwe
$197 22.8% ↓ 41.2%$138
🍽Eating Out
Germany
$276 13.3%
Zimbabwe
$114 13.2% ↓ 58.7%$162
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Germany
$162 7.8%
Zimbabwe
$54 6.3% ↓ 66.6%$108
🚌Getting Around
Germany
$104 5%
Zimbabwe
$56 6.5% ↓ 46.4%$49
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Germany
$69 3.3%
Zimbabwe
$62 7.2% ↓ 9.4%$6.5
🏠Accommodation & Living
Germany
$1.3K 31%
Zimbabwe
$557 28.1% ↓ 56.9%$736
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
$440 10.5%
Zimbabwe
$159 8% ↓ 64%$282
🛒Groceries & Markets
Germany
$795 19%
Zimbabwe
$454 22.9% ↓ 43%$341
🍽Eating Out
Germany
$910 21.8%
Zimbabwe
$433 21.8% ↓ 52.4%$477
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Germany
$360 8.6%
Zimbabwe
$120 6.1% ↓ 66.6%$240
🚌Getting Around
Germany
$217 5.2%
Zimbabwe
$114 5.8% ↓ 47.4%$103
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Germany
$165 4%
Zimbabwe
$145 7.3% ↓ 12.2%$20
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $812 in Germany, $240 in Zimbabwe. Capital cities: $1,407 in Berlin vs $399 in Harare.
💰National salary averages: $3,107 in Germany, $363 in Zimbabwe. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 238% higher in Germany.
⭐Dining out costs 65% more in Germany.
⭐Public transport is 89% more expensive in Germany.
⭐Salaries are about 8.6 times higher in Germany, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Germany.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Germany vs Zimbabwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Zimbabwe?
At $2,080 per month in Germany and $864 in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe comes out about 58% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Zimbabwe?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Zimbabwe: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Germany and Zimbabwe?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $812 in Germany and $240 in Zimbabwe. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and in Zimbabwe?
It depends on what you’re after: Zimbabwe wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.