Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Harare: $1,025 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Harare
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Harare Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Harare

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$1,025

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Harare and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Harare and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,025 in Harare versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Harare $1,025
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,682 in Harare versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Harare $1,682
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,339 in Harare versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Harare $2,339
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Harare costs roughly 62% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Harare is 24% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.12 ZWL 270

$20.22 $20.22

-49.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.29 ZWL 1,210

$85.0 $85.0

-46.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ZWL 150

$12.35 $12.35

-54.66%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ZWL 80.4

$5.47 $5.47

-44.97%

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

$0.97 ZWL 26.04

$3.82 $3.82

-74.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ZWL 12.07

$2.50 $2.50

-82.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

$8.06 $8.06

-84.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 52.2

$8.99 $8.99

-78.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ZWL 39.29

$1.13 $1.13

30.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

$3.78 $3.78

-73.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.80

$3.25 $3.25

-47.38%

Eggs

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$4.14 $4.14

-52.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 ZWL 304

$13.08 $13.08

-12.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 ZWL 148

$14.31 $14.31

-61.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.42 ZWL 171

$15.96 $15.96

-59.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ZWL 82.1

$4.38 $4.38

-29.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.29

$1.45 $1.45

17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

$4.54 $4.54

-54.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.45

$4.19 $4.19

-63.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ZWL 46.67

$2.63 $2.63

-33.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.51

$2.36 $2.36

-24.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ZWL 32.72

$1.76 $1.76

-30.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ZWL 25.02

$2.16 $2.16

-56.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

$9.81 $9.81

-80.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 ZWL 224

$14.72 $14.72

-43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ZWL 36.81

$2.78 $2.78

-50.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$3.48 $3.48

-43.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 27.10

$1.49 $1.49

-32.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 ZWL 1,578

$40.51 $40.51

45.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 ZWL 110

$2.67 $2.67

54.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

$1.58 $1.58

29.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 ZWL 135

$35.29 $35.29

-85.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ZWL 49.04

$0.99 $0.99

85.86%

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

$21.6K ZWL 576.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-39.74%

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

$27.6K ZWL 736.2K

$27.2K $27.2K

1.42%

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

$52.2 ZWL 1,394

$219 $219

-76.20%

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

$21.85 ZWL 583

$58.0 $58.0

-62.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 ZWL 1,817

$68.4 $68.4

-0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.13 ZWL 1,286

$57.9 $57.9

-16.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.78 ZWL 609

$14.82 $14.82

53.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 ZWL 264

$14.13 $14.13

-30.08%

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

$428 ZWL 11.4K

$1,509 $1,509

-71.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,427 ZWL 225.1K

$21.5K $21.5K

-60.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.65 ZWL 632

$51.7 $51.7

-54.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.26 ZWL 568

$44.05 $44.05

-51.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.85 ZWL 1,038

$85.1 $85.1

-54.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.60 ZWL 1,058

$105 $105

-62.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZWL 10.4K

$1,932 $1,932

-79.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ZWL 8,435

$1,272 $1,272

-75.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 ZWL 22.4K

$3,670 $3,670

-77.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 ZWL 20.2K

$2,525 $2,525

-70.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$913 ZWL 24.4K

$7,617 $7,617

-88.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$388 ZWL 10.4K

$3,199 $3,199

-87.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 ZWL 11.3K

$5,105 $5,105

-91.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

6.79

101.62%

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

Last update for Harare: October 4, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Harare

$316 30.9%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 303% $957

Groceries & Markets

Harare

$215 21%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 87.6% $188

Eating Out

Harare

$150 14.6%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 133% $198

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Harare

$142 13.9%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 143% $204

Getting Around

Harare

$78 7.6%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 26.4% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Harare

$68 6.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 26.9% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Harare

$56 5.4%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 132% $73

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Harare and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1112% 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: $45.00 in Harare vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $403 per month, with Harare cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇿🇼 Harare

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

09:19 9:19 AM

02:19 2:19 AM

7 h behind Harare

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,606,000 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZWL = 3.74 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZWL – Zimbabwean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇼 Zimbabwean Dollar ($)

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 26.71 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.74 USD). 1 EUR = 29.96 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to ZWL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Harare Austin, TX 14,680 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Harare
Austin, TX

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

Harare vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harare wins on cost – living expenses run 164% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Harare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1112% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $389 in Harare versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,025 per month in Harare versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 164% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Harare runs roughly 46% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,025 in Harare versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Harare but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Harare 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 Harare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.