Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Mutare Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Mutare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Harare versus $790 in Mutare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,734 in Harare versus $1,215 in Mutare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,411 in Harare versus $1,639 in Mutare.

Living in Harare is roughly 34% more expensive than in Mutare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 23% lower, Mutare 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 ZWL 266

$10.15 ZWL 271

-1.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 ZWL 1,063

$39.66 ZWL 1,057

0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ZWL 156

$4.47 ZWL 119

30.87%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ZWL 85.1

$1.28 ZWL 34.11

149.22%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

$0.71 ZWL 19.05

30.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.02

$0.48 ZWL 12.76

10.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

$1.39 ZWL 36.92

8.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$1.83 ZWL 48.87

8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

$1.27 ZWL 33.78

21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

$0.98 ZWL 25.99

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 44.93

$1.26 ZWL 33.67

34.13%

Eggs

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

3.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 ZWL 316

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

300.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 ZWL 146

$3.97 ZWL 106

37.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 ZWL 180

$5.07 ZWL 135

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

49.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.51

$1.61 ZWL 42.86

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$2.05 ZWL 54.5

-0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.40

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

46.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$1.66 ZWL 44.27

4.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.31

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

84.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

154.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$1.21 ZWL 32.30

63.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ZWL 236

$5.99 ZWL 160

47.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.40

$1.17 ZWL 31.21

19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$1.72 ZWL 45.73

15.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$0.71 ZWL 19.00

42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 ZWL 1,598

$26.48 ZWL 706

126.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

30.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

2.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$4.98 ZWL 133

3.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ZWL 48.96

$1.85 ZWL 49.30

-0.54%

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

$22.3K ZWL 594.0K

$22.3K ZWL 593.7K

0.05%

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

$27.0K ZWL 719.2K

$24.3K ZWL 646.3K

11.27%

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

$54.3 ZWL 1,448

$54.0 ZWL 1,438

0.65%

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

$21.37 ZWL 569

$15.04 ZWL 401

42.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 ZWL 1,814

$59.8 ZWL 1,594

13.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 ZWL 1,320

$39.27 ZWL 1,047

26.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.14 ZWL 590

$4.95 ZWL 132

347.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 262

$9.93 ZWL 265

-1.01%

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

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$149 ZWL 3,981

207.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,889 ZWL 236.9K

$9,070 ZWL 241.7K

-2.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.99 ZWL 639

$9.81 ZWL 261

144.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.48 ZWL 573

$9.26 ZWL 247

131.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.84 ZWL 1,062

$25.03 ZWL 667

59.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.34 ZWL 1,102

$20.27 ZWL 540

103.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$347 ZWL 9,257

15.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ZWL 8,400

$246 ZWL 6,546

28.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ZWL 22.3K

$744 ZWL 19.8K

12.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 ZWL 19.9K

$399 ZWL 10.6K

86.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.8K

$252 ZWL 6,726

269.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 ZWL 11.2K

$252 ZWL 6,711

67.44%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Mutare: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Harare and $347 in Mutare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 67% 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: $40.00 in Harare vs $40.00 in Mutare. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $154, with Mutare 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 Mutare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mutare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Harare, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $401 in Harare versus $347 in Mutare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $459 in Harare versus $149 in Mutare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $790 in Mutare versus $1,056 in Harare, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mutare but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Mutare 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 Mutare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.