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: $1,004 in Harare versus $792 in Mutare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Harare versus $1,230 in Mutare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,306 in Harare versus $1,669 in Mutare.

Living in Harare is roughly 27% more expensive than Mutare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 25% lower, Mutare 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.90 ZWL 251

$10.19 ZWL 258

-2.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.08 ZWL 1,242

$50.1 ZWL 1,267

-1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 ZWL 172

$4.63 ZWL 117

46.87%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ZWL 75.8

$1.22 ZWL 30.97

145.90%

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

$0.66 ZWL 16.72

$0.72 ZWL 18.09

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 11.81

$0.44 ZWL 11.10

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 37.39

$1.39 ZWL 35.14

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 50.3

$1.77 ZWL 44.75

12.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 40.70

$1.21 ZWL 30.73

33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 25.58

$1.03 ZWL 25.97

-1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 ZWL 48.64

$1.26 ZWL 31.98

52.38%

Eggs

$2.08 ZWL 52.7

$1.88 ZWL 47.57

10.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 ZWL 280

$2.94 ZWL 74.3

276.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ZWL 165

$4.07 ZWL 103

60.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 ZWL 158

$4.92 ZWL 124

26.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 76.9

$2.01 ZWL 51.0

51.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 43.04

$1.70 ZWL 42.92

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 56.1

$2.05 ZWL 51.9

8.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 42.07

$0.97 ZWL 24.55

71.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 39.30

$1.51 ZWL 38.31

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 50.1

$0.97 ZWL 24.54

104.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ZWL 26.24

$0.52 ZWL 13.23

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 25.46

$1.01 ZWL 25.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 27.35

$1.12 ZWL 28.35

-3.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 ZWL 220

$5.95 ZWL 151

46.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 29.56

$1.17 ZWL 29.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ZWL 45.54

$1.72 ZWL 43.58

4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 24.78

$0.48 ZWL 12.12

104.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.32 ZWL 1,071

$27.10 ZWL 686

56.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 ZWL 128

$3.06 ZWL 77.5

65.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 ZWL 49.25

$1.95 ZWL 49.35

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 127

$4.89 ZWL 124

2.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 40.85

$1.55 ZWL 39.30

3.87%

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

$20.1K ZWL 508.8K

$20.4K ZWL 515.3K

-1.28%

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

$23.3K ZWL 589.4K

$23.0K ZWL 582.6K

1.17%

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

$57.3 ZWL 1,450

$57.2 ZWL 1,447

0.24%

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

$17.82 ZWL 451

$15.03 ZWL 380

18.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.1 ZWL 2,355

$61.1 ZWL 1,546

52.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ZWL 1,332

$40.40 ZWL 1,022

30.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.42 ZWL 365

$4.87 ZWL 123

196.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 ZWL 249

$10.12 ZWL 256

-2.67%

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

$275 ZWL 6,952

$146 ZWL 3,686

88.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,312 ZWL 185.0K

$7,422 ZWL 187.8K

-1.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.61 ZWL 496

$9.91 ZWL 251

97.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.59 ZWL 546

$9.43 ZWL 239

128.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.05 ZWL 862

$25.45 ZWL 644

33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.85 ZWL 1,008

$19.94 ZWL 504

99.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ZWL 9,941

$346 ZWL 8,761

13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ZWL 6,936

$251 ZWL 6,358

9.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ZWL 24.6K

$750 ZWL 19.0K

29.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 ZWL 17.9K

$400 ZWL 10.1K

76.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$892 ZWL 22.6K

$253 ZWL 6,397

252.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 9,977

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$395 ZWL 9,992

$252 ZWL 6,365

56.98%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mutare: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Harare and $346 in Mutare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 57% 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 Mutare. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Harare pays 57% more on average, 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: $393 in Harare versus $346 in Mutare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $275 in Harare versus $146 in Mutare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $792 in Mutare versus $1,004 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 27% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.