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: $990 in Harare versus $618 in Masvingo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,688 in Harare versus $1,108 in Masvingo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Harare versus $1,599 in Masvingo.

Living in Harare is roughly 60% more expensive than in Masvingo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Masvingo 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ZWL 265

$9.87 ZWL 263

0.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.31 ZWL 1,316

$49.50 ZWL 1,321

-0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ZWL 189

$7.12 ZWL 190

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$3.00 ZWL 80.2

-1.33%

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

$0.70 ZWL 18.70

$0.72 ZWL 19.19

-2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.36

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.70

$1.51 ZWL 40.34

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.01

$1.62 ZWL 43.11

-3.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.93

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

-5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.50

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

-4.62%

Eggs

$2.10 ZWL 55.9

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

0.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ZWL 289

$10.85 ZWL 289

-0.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ZWL 166

$6.26 ZWL 167

-0.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$6.22 ZWL 166

-0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

$3.02 ZWL 80.7

-4.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.01

$1.67 ZWL 44.60

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

$2.26 ZWL 60.3

-3.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.39

$1.71 ZWL 45.67

-0.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.36

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

$2.06 ZWL 54.9

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

$1.01 ZWL 26.89

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

$0.94 ZWL 24.95

1.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 28.83

$1.07 ZWL 28.57

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 ZWL 249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.18 ZWL 31.49

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.70

$1.70 ZWL 45.36

0.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 ZWL 1,116

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$5.05 ZWL 135

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$2.06 ZWL 54.9

-3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

$5.09 ZWL 136

-1.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.37

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

1.31%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

$20.4K ZWL 544.0K

-2.30%

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

$23.0K ZWL 613.8K

$23.1K ZWL 615.5K

-0.27%

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

$58.0 ZWL 1,547

$58.5 ZWL 1,562

-0.94%

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

$17.53 ZWL 468

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.1 ZWL 2,456

$92.1 ZWL 2,457

-0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 ZWL 1,442

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 ZWL 380

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 ZWL 270

$10.10 ZWL 269

0.10%

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

$277 ZWL 7,384

$275 ZWL 7,346

0.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,215 ZWL 192.5K

$7,255 ZWL 193.6K

-0.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 ZWL 522

$19.70 ZWL 526

-0.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.55 ZWL 575

$21.61 ZWL 576

-0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.11 ZWL 937

$34.69 ZWL 925

1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.98 ZWL 1,093

$40.11 ZWL 1,070

2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.6K

$60.3 ZWL 1,608

559.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,436

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 ZWL 25.5K

$300 ZWL 7,998

218.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.5K

$152 ZWL 4,065

356.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 ZWL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ZWL 10.7K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Masvingo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Harare and $60.3 in Masvingo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Harare vs $50.0 in Masvingo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $220 per month, with Harare cheaper across the board.

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 Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,485 in Harare and $927 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: $398 in Harare versus $60.3 in Masvingo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Harare pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $990 per month in Harare versus $618 in Masvingo – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $618 in Masvingo versus $990 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 60% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.