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: $991 in Harare versus $644 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Harare versus $1,031 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,335 in Harare versus $1,418 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Harare is roughly 54% more expensive than Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Chinhoyi 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 ZWL 271

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

393.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.12 ZWL 1,315

$49.87 ZWL 1,335

-1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 ZWL 188

$4.55 ZWL 122

54.07%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ZWL 78.1

$0.99 ZWL 26.37

194.95%

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

$0.68 ZWL 18.12

$0.32 ZWL 8.46

112.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.59

$0.24 ZWL 6.40

79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

$0.98 ZWL 26.31

55.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

$2.03 ZWL 54.5

-4.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.48

$1.54 ZWL 41.34

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

$0.87 ZWL 23.39

17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ZWL 51.7

$1.61 ZWL 43.11

19.88%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

$2.09 ZWL 55.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ZWL 291

$10.80 ZWL 289

0.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ZWL 173

$2.94 ZWL 78.7

119.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$3.97 ZWL 106

56.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.6

$0.97 ZWL 26.06

210.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ZWL 45.09

$1.03 ZWL 27.57

63.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ZWL 59.0

$0.98 ZWL 26.21

124.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.73

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

67.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.76

$0.97 ZWL 26.09

53.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$1.03 ZWL 27.53

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

$0.51 ZWL 13.75

101.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

$0.77 ZWL 20.64

23.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

$1.11 ZWL 29.79

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 ZWL 239

$7.12 ZWL 191

25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

$0.51 ZWL 13.73

119.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 47.25

$0.97 ZWL 26.09

82.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

$1.02 ZWL 27.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 ZWL 1,139

$29.68 ZWL 794

43.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 ZWL 135

$4.07 ZWL 109

24.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

$2.06 ZWL 55.1

-3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$5.04 ZWL 135

1.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 43.06

$1.46 ZWL 39.01

10.27%

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

$20.0K ZWL 535.8K

$19.6K ZWL 525.9K

1.89%

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

$23.6K ZWL 632.9K

$23.0K ZWL 615.3K

2.86%

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

$40.29 ZWL 1,079

46.07%

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

$17.40 ZWL 466

$17.46 ZWL 468

-0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.1 ZWL 2,519

$88.4 ZWL 2,367

6.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ZWL 1,426

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 ZWL 379

Cinema Ticket

$9.94 ZWL 266

$9.97 ZWL 267

-0.30%

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

$279 ZWL 7,477

$282 ZWL 7,562

-1.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,278 ZWL 194.8K

$7,193 ZWL 192.6K

1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.51 ZWL 522

$19.08 ZWL 511

2.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.18 ZWL 567

$20.93 ZWL 560

1.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 ZWL 916

$35.09 ZWL 939

-2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ZWL 1,085

$40.32 ZWL 1,079

0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,502

$180 ZWL 4,809

56.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 ZWL 25.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.6K

$296 ZWL 7,935

134.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$919 ZWL 24.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.5K

$199 ZWL 5,339

96.85%

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 Harare: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: June 8, 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: $49.00 in Harare vs $50.0 in Chinhoyi. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $153, 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 54% in total monthly costs ($991 vs $644 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Harare pays 97% more on average, 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 $50.0 versus $49.00 in Harare. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $991 per month in Harare versus $644 in Chinhoyi – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $644 in Chinhoyi versus $991 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 54% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.