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: $1,046 in Harare versus $607 in Masvingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,730 in Harare versus $999 in Masvingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,414 in Harare versus $1,391 in Masvingo.

Living in Harare is roughly 72% more expensive than in Masvingo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 24% lower, Masvingo 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 ZWL 269

$9.97 ZWL 265

1.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.49 ZWL 1,049

$39.21 ZWL 1,041

0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ZWL 156

$6.13 ZWL 163

-3.92%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ZWL 82.6

$3.13 ZWL 83.1

-0.64%

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

$1.00 ZWL 26.54

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

7.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.92

$0.54 ZWL 14.22

-3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ZWL 39.49

$1.47 ZWL 38.91

1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.1

$1.95 ZWL 51.9

0.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ZWL 40.49

$1.53 ZWL 40.74

-0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ZWL 27.54

$0.99 ZWL 26.34

5.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.02

$1.70 ZWL 45.11

Eggs

$1.95 ZWL 51.7

$1.92 ZWL 51.0

1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ZWL 320

$11.78 ZWL 313

2.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 ZWL 150

$5.62 ZWL 149

0.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ZWL 179

$6.62 ZWL 176

1.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 ZWL 81.2

$3.07 ZWL 81.4

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ZWL 44.63

$1.59 ZWL 42.35

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 ZWL 55.2

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

0.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.24

$1.48 ZWL 39.44

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.04

$1.73 ZWL 45.84

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 ZWL 47.64

$1.78 ZWL 47.40

0.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ZWL 32.12

$1.16 ZWL 30.75

4.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZWL 26.53

$1.03 ZWL 27.36

-2.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 ZWL 52.3

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 ZWL 244

$9.08 ZWL 241

1.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ZWL 36.12

$1.37 ZWL 36.35

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 51.9

$1.96 ZWL 52.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 ZWL 1,578

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 ZWL 107

$4.06 ZWL 108

-0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 54.6

$2.04 ZWL 54.2

0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 132

$5.11 ZWL 136

-2.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ZWL 49.57

$1.84 ZWL 48.89

1.63%

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

$22.2K ZWL 589.1K

$22.1K ZWL 587.9K

0.20%

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

$27.2K ZWL 721.8K

$27.6K ZWL 732.7K

-1.49%

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

$55.1 ZWL 1,463

$54.4 ZWL 1,445

1.25%

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

$22.06 ZWL 586

$21.34 ZWL 567

3.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 ZWL 1,795

$67.3 ZWL 1,788

0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.71 ZWL 1,320

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.67 ZWL 602

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 ZWL 262

$10.17 ZWL 270

-2.95%

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

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$454 ZWL 12.1K

1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,938 ZWL 237.4K

$8,943 ZWL 237.5K

-0.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 ZWL 657

$24.35 ZWL 647

1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.99 ZWL 557

$21.25 ZWL 564

-1.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.49 ZWL 1,049

$38.91 ZWL 1,033

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.14 ZWL 1,119

$41.28 ZWL 1,096

2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 ZWL 10.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ZWL 8,346

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ZWL 22.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 ZWL 20.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$937 ZWL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 ZWL 10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$428 ZWL 11.4K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Masvingo: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Harare vs $39.00 in Masvingo. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $218, with Masvingo 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,569 in Harare and $910 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Harare versus $607 in Masvingo – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $607 in Masvingo versus $1,046 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 72% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.