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: $1,002 in Harare versus $666 in Chinhoyi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,678 in Harare versus $1,032 in Chinhoyi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,354 in Harare versus $1,399 in Chinhoyi.

Living in Harare is roughly 51% more expensive than in Chinhoyi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 25% lower, Chinhoyi 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ZWL 269

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

407.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 ZWL 1,317

$49.88 ZWL 1,331

-1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 ZWL 192

$4.47 ZWL 119

61.07%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ZWL 78.6

$1.02 ZWL 27.24

189.22%

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

$0.71 ZWL 18.86

$0.34 ZWL 9.10

108.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

$0.24 ZWL 6.38

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.53

$0.99 ZWL 26.40

49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

2.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.70

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

5.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

$0.81 ZWL 21.53

25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

$1.63 ZWL 43.57

16.56%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 55.8

$2.11 ZWL 56.2

-0.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ZWL 293

$11.03 ZWL 294

-0.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ZWL 175

$2.95 ZWL 78.7

122.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 ZWL 167

$4.03 ZWL 108

55.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.6

$0.97 ZWL 25.96

211.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.63

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

62.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ZWL 59.9

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

117.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.77

$1.03 ZWL 27.42

59.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.87

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

53.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$1.03 ZWL 27.38

93.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$0.51 ZWL 13.67

96.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

$0.78 ZWL 20.69

32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.19

$1.07 ZWL 28.62

5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 ZWL 248

$6.82 ZWL 182

36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.57

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.32

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

68.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

$0.99 ZWL 26.31

4.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 ZWL 1,125

$29.74 ZWL 793

41.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$4.02 ZWL 107

27.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

-2.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$5.05 ZWL 135

0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.15

$1.39 ZWL 36.97

16.55%

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

$19.7K ZWL 526.1K

$20.3K ZWL 540.4K

-2.65%

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

$23.6K ZWL 629.1K

$22.9K ZWL 612.0K

2.81%

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

$59.4 ZWL 1,585

$40.57 ZWL 1,082

46.46%

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

$17.75 ZWL 474

$17.94 ZWL 479

-1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.8 ZWL 2,501

$90.1 ZWL 2,402

4.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ZWL 1,434

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ZWL 383

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 ZWL 263

$10.20 ZWL 272

-3.53%

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

$273 ZWL 7,285

$280 ZWL 7,459

-2.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,310 ZWL 195.0K

$7,365 ZWL 196.5K

-0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.62 ZWL 523

$19.40 ZWL 518

1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 ZWL 577

$21.35 ZWL 570

1.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.26 ZWL 941

$34.29 ZWL 915

2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 ZWL 1,075

$39.83 ZWL 1,063

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ZWL 10.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,435

$178 ZWL 4,760

56.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ZWL 26.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 ZWL 18.8K

$302 ZWL 8,058

133.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$915 ZWL 24.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$201 ZWL 5,363

99.65%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chinhoyi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Harare pays 100% 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 $222 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,002 vs $666 including rent). Chinhoyi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 100% 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 $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 $1,002 per month in Harare versus $666 in Chinhoyi – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chinhoyi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 51% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.