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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Harare versus $630 in Chinhoyi.

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

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

Living in Harare is roughly 68% more expensive than in Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 ZWL 266

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

409.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 ZWL 1,063

$39.98 ZWL 1,065

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ZWL 156

$4.43 ZWL 118

32.05%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ZWL 85.1

$0.99 ZWL 26.27

222.22%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

$0.35 ZWL 9.21

165.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.02

$0.24 ZWL 6.39

120.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

54.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

-1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

$1.47 ZWL 39.18

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

$0.86 ZWL 22.97

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 44.93

$1.63 ZWL 43.35

3.68%

Eggs

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 ZWL 316

$12.13 ZWL 323

-2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 ZWL 146

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

83.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 ZWL 180

$4.05 ZWL 108

66.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

198.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.51

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

64.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

110.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.40

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

49.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$0.97 ZWL 25.97

78.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.31

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

86.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

148.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

$0.77 ZWL 20.44

35.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ZWL 236

$7.01 ZWL 187

26.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.40

$0.52 ZWL 13.90

169.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$0.98 ZWL 26.13

103.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

3.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 ZWL 1,598

$30.47 ZWL 812

96.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$3.91 ZWL 104

1.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$5.02 ZWL 134

2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ZWL 48.96

$1.40 ZWL 37.34

31.43%

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

$22.3K ZWL 594.0K

$22.2K ZWL 591.3K

0.45%

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

$27.0K ZWL 719.2K

$27.1K ZWL 723.0K

-0.53%

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

$54.3 ZWL 1,448

$40.57 ZWL 1,081

33.92%

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

$21.37 ZWL 569

$19.88 ZWL 530

7.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 ZWL 1,814

$68.1 ZWL 1,815

-0.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 ZWL 1,320

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.14 ZWL 590

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 262

$10.09 ZWL 269

-2.58%

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

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$457 ZWL 12.2K

0.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,889 ZWL 236.9K

$8,890 ZWL 236.9K

-0.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.99 ZWL 639

$24.34 ZWL 649

-1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.48 ZWL 573

$21.44 ZWL 571

0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.84 ZWL 1,062

$39.49 ZWL 1,053

0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.34 ZWL 1,102

$42.30 ZWL 1,127

-2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ZWL 8,400

$180 ZWL 4,808

74.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ZWL 22.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 ZWL 19.9K

$296 ZWL 7,895

151.85%

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)

$422 ZWL 11.2K

$198 ZWL 5,280

112.79%

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 Harare: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: September 13, 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 Harare vs $40.00 in Chinhoyi. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $155, 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

Harare vs Chinhoyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Average pay runs 113% higher in Harare, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

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 $1,056 per month in Harare versus $630 in Chinhoyi – 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.