Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Masvingo Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Masvingo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Harare versus $640 in Masvingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Harare versus $1,111 in Masvingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,327 in Harare versus $1,582 in Masvingo.

Living in Harare is roughly 55% more expensive than Masvingo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ZWL 272

$9.83 ZWL 264

3.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 ZWL 1,347

$49.35 ZWL 1,325

1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 ZWL 189

$7.13 ZWL 191

-1.40%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZWL 77.7

$2.92 ZWL 78.4

-1.03%

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

$0.67 ZWL 17.95

$0.72 ZWL 19.36

-6.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.67

$0.46 ZWL 12.38

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 39.53

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$1.95 ZWL 52.4

5.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.68

$1.60 ZWL 43.04

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.54

$0.99 ZWL 26.47

4.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ZWL 50.7

$1.88 ZWL 50.4

0.53%

Eggs

$2.16 ZWL 58.0

$2.09 ZWL 56.1

3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZWL 289

$10.81 ZWL 290

-0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$6.46 ZWL 173

-3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$6.53 ZWL 175

-4.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ZWL 79.9

$3.00 ZWL 80.4

-1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 44.15

$1.62 ZWL 43.45

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

$2.21 ZWL 59.5

3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.55

$1.66 ZWL 44.59

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.67

$1.55 ZWL 41.65

-2.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.3

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

$0.98 ZWL 26.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

$1.01 ZWL 27.19

-3.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.08 ZWL 29.09

3.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ZWL 247

$9.07 ZWL 243

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

$1.13 ZWL 30.46

4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.84

$1.77 ZWL 47.54

-3.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 26.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.15 ZWL 1,159

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$5.04 ZWL 135

-2.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 55.1

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

3.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$5.06 ZWL 136

-2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.13

$1.60 ZWL 43.05

-1.88%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.5K

$19.8K ZWL 532.6K

-0.38%

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

$23.9K ZWL 640.7K

$23.8K ZWL 639.4K

0.21%

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

$58.6 ZWL 1,573

$58.8 ZWL 1,579

-0.37%

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

$17.79 ZWL 478

$17.85 ZWL 479

-0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.2 ZWL 2,501

$90.8 ZWL 2,437

2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ZWL 1,437

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ZWL 381

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 267

$10.13 ZWL 272

-1.97%

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

$283 ZWL 7,599

$275 ZWL 7,379

2.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 ZWL 197.5K

$7,410 ZWL 198.9K

-0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZWL 510

$19.59 ZWL 526

-3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.04 ZWL 565

$21.31 ZWL 572

-1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.77 ZWL 934

$34.64 ZWL 930

0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ZWL 1,075

$39.66 ZWL 1,065

0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$60.8 ZWL 1,634

563.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,527

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 ZWL 25.3K

$304 ZWL 8,170

209.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ZWL 18.5K

$148 ZWL 3,964

366.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$899 ZWL 24.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.6K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Masvingo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Harare and $60.8 in Masvingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Harare vs $49.00 in Masvingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $220, with Harare 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 Masvingo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masvingo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,486 in Harare and $960 in Masvingo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Harare versus $60.8 in Masvingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Harare pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $991 per month in Harare versus $640 in Masvingo – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $640 in Masvingo versus $991 in Harare, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Masvingo but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Masvingo 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 Masvingo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.