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: $991 in Harare versus $779 in Mutare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Harare versus $1,247 in Mutare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,335 in Harare versus $1,715 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 26% lower, Mutare 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 ZWL 271

$10.07 ZWL 270

0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.12 ZWL 1,315

$50.8 ZWL 1,359

-3.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 ZWL 188

$4.63 ZWL 124

51.40%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ZWL 78.1

$1.27 ZWL 34.11

129.92%

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

$0.68 ZWL 18.12

$0.67 ZWL 18.04

1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.59

$0.43 ZWL 11.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

$1.31 ZWL 35.11

16.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

$1.82 ZWL 48.65

6.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.48

$1.24 ZWL 33.12

30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ZWL 51.7

$1.33 ZWL 35.64

45.11%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ZWL 291

$3.01 ZWL 80.7

260.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ZWL 173

$4.07 ZWL 109

58.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$5.17 ZWL 139

20.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.6

$2.03 ZWL 54.3

48.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ZWL 45.09

$1.64 ZWL 43.93

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ZWL 59.0

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

8.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.73

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.76

$1.57 ZWL 41.97

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

110.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

$0.51 ZWL 13.70

101.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

-6.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

$1.12 ZWL 29.91

-0.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 ZWL 239

$5.89 ZWL 158

51.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

$1.17 ZWL 31.39

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 47.25

$1.68 ZWL 44.96

5.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

$0.51 ZWL 13.77

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 ZWL 1,139

$27.01 ZWL 723

57.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 ZWL 135

$3.06 ZWL 81.9

65.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$4.85 ZWL 130

5.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 43.06

$1.56 ZWL 41.72

3.21%

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

$20.0K ZWL 535.8K

$19.8K ZWL 530.2K

1.06%

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

$23.6K ZWL 632.9K

$23.5K ZWL 628.4K

0.71%

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

$57.5 ZWL 1,540

2.28%

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

$17.40 ZWL 466

$14.83 ZWL 397

17.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.1 ZWL 2,519

$60.8 ZWL 1,627

54.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ZWL 1,426

$39.97 ZWL 1,070

33.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 ZWL 379

$4.90 ZWL 131

188.78%

Cinema Ticket

$9.94 ZWL 266

$9.98 ZWL 267

-0.40%

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

$279 ZWL 7,477

$148 ZWL 3,961

88.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,278 ZWL 194.8K

$7,258 ZWL 194.3K

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.51 ZWL 522

$9.85 ZWL 264

98.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.18 ZWL 567

$9.39 ZWL 251

125.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 ZWL 916

$25.10 ZWL 672

36.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ZWL 1,085

$19.78 ZWL 529

105.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$355 ZWL 9,491

13.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,502

$252 ZWL 6,748

11.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 ZWL 25.9K

$753 ZWL 20.2K

28.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.6K

$398 ZWL 10.7K

74.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$919 ZWL 24.6K

$253 ZWL 6,783

262.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.5K

$247 ZWL 6,599

59.27%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mutare: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Harare and $355 in Mutare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 59% 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 $51.0 in Mutare. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $155, 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 59% 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: $403 in Harare versus $355 in Mutare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $279 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 41% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $779 in Mutare versus $991 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.