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: $1,002 in Harare versus $794 in Mutare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,678 in Harare versus $1,254 in Mutare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,354 in Harare versus $1,714 in Mutare.

Living in Harare is roughly 26% more expensive than in Mutare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 25% lower, Mutare 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ZWL 269

$9.82 ZWL 262

2.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 ZWL 1,317

$49.05 ZWL 1,309

0.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 ZWL 192

$4.38 ZWL 117

64.38%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ZWL 78.6

$1.24 ZWL 32.96

137.90%

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

$0.71 ZWL 18.86

$0.66 ZWL 17.65

7.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

$0.43 ZWL 11.43

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.53

$1.39 ZWL 37.06

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$1.78 ZWL 47.41

14.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.70

$1.23 ZWL 32.72

30.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

$1.33 ZWL 35.35

42.86%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 55.8

$1.93 ZWL 51.6

8.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ZWL 293

$3.06 ZWL 81.5

258.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ZWL 175

$3.90 ZWL 104

67.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 ZWL 167

$4.89 ZWL 130

27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.6

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.63

$1.62 ZWL 43.14

3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ZWL 59.9

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

12.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.77

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

69.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.87

$1.54 ZWL 41.09

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$1.02 ZWL 27.35

95.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$0.49 ZWL 12.97

104.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

$0.99 ZWL 26.54

4.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.19

$1.08 ZWL 28.90

4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 ZWL 248

$6.15 ZWL 164

50.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.57

$1.18 ZWL 31.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.32

$1.74 ZWL 46.29

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

$0.48 ZWL 12.71

114.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 ZWL 1,125

$26.97 ZWL 719

56.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$2.92 ZWL 78.0

75.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.15

$1.56 ZWL 41.59

3.85%

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

$19.7K ZWL 526.1K

$20.1K ZWL 535.5K

-1.75%

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

$23.6K ZWL 629.1K

$23.3K ZWL 622.6K

1.05%

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

$59.4 ZWL 1,585

$57.8 ZWL 1,541

2.89%

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

$17.75 ZWL 474

$15.22 ZWL 406

16.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.8 ZWL 2,501

$60.3 ZWL 1,610

55.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ZWL 1,434

$40.37 ZWL 1,077

33.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ZWL 383

$4.94 ZWL 132

190.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 ZWL 263

$10.09 ZWL 269

-2.48%

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

$273 ZWL 7,285

$148 ZWL 3,951

84.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,310 ZWL 195.0K

$7,359 ZWL 196.3K

-0.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.62 ZWL 523

$10.03 ZWL 268

95.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 ZWL 577

$9.58 ZWL 255

125.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.26 ZWL 941

$24.60 ZWL 656

43.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 ZWL 1,075

$20.04 ZWL 535

101.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ZWL 10.8K

$351 ZWL 9,353

15.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,435

$255 ZWL 6,791

9.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ZWL 26.0K

$763 ZWL 20.4K

27.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 ZWL 18.8K

$399 ZWL 10.6K

77.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$915 ZWL 24.4K

$251 ZWL 6,705

263.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$248 ZWL 6,606

62.09%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Mutare: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Harare and $351 in Mutare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 62% 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 $49.00 in Mutare. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 62% 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: $405 in Harare versus $351 in Mutare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Harare versus $148 in Mutare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Mutare gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 26% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.