Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Santiago Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Santiago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Harare versus $1,270 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Harare versus $2,013 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,327 in Harare versus $2,756 in Santiago.

Living in Harare costs roughly 22% less than in Santiago, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Santiago 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ZWL 273

$10.93 CLP 9,777

-7.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 ZWL 1,349

$53.1 CLP 47.5K

-5.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 ZWL 189

$8.30 CLP 7,426

-15.30%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZWL 77.8

$3.11 CLP 2,784

-7.07%

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

$0.67 ZWL 17.98

$1.79 CLP 1,600

-62.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.69

$1.29 CLP 1,153

-63.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 39.59

$3.19 CLP 2,852

-53.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ZWL 55.3

$4.39 CLP 3,928

-53.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.74

$1.20 CLP 1,069

35.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.58

$1.59 CLP 1,420

-35.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ZWL 50.8

$2.18 CLP 1,947

-13.30%

Eggs

$2.16 ZWL 58.1

$4.14 CLP 3,700

-47.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZWL 290

$10.66 CLP 9,533

1.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$6.48 CLP 5,794

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$10.79 CLP 9,656

-42.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ZWL 80.0

$2.00 CLP 1,793

48.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 44.22

$1.63 CLP 1,462

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ZWL 61.4

$2.13 CLP 1,906

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.62

$1.84 CLP 1,643

-9.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.73

$1.95 CLP 1,748

-22.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

$1.68 CLP 1,499

18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.26

$1.29 CLP 1,157

-24.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.05

$1.19 CLP 1,063

-18.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

$5.56 CLP 4,975

-79.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ZWL 247

$6.77 CLP 6,058

35.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.84

$1.54 CLP 1,376

-23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.91

$2.47 CLP 2,213

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 26.19

$0.85 CLP 760

14.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.15 ZWL 1,160

$42.05 CLP 37.6K

2.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$0.50 CLP 448

878.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 55.2

$1.43 CLP 1,278

43.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$11.70 CLP 10.5K

-57.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.20

$1.37 CLP 1,225

14.60%

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

$19.8K ZWL 531.3K

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

0.63%

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

$23.9K ZWL 641.7K

$22.6K CLP 20.2M

5.60%

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

$58.6 ZWL 1,575

$133 CLP 119.3K

-56.09%

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

$17.79 ZWL 478

$13.65 CLP 12.2K

30.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.2 ZWL 2,505

$21.85 CLP 19.5K

326.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ZWL 1,439

$33.74 CLP 30.2K

58.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ZWL 382

$20.94 CLP 18.7K

-32.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 267

$6.55 CLP 5,864

51.60%

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

$283 ZWL 7,611

$436 CLP 390.2K

-35.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 ZWL 197.8K

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

-14.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZWL 511

$55.0 CLP 49.2K

-65.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.04 ZWL 566

$32.75 CLP 29.3K

-35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.77 ZWL 935

$76.0 CLP 68.0K

-54.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ZWL 1,077

$83.5 CLP 74.7K

-52.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$519 CLP 464.3K

-22.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,538

$468 CLP 418.9K

-40.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 ZWL 25.3K

$1,012 CLP 905.1K

-6.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ZWL 18.5K

$888 CLP 794.1K

-22.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$899 ZWL 24.2K

$2,891 CLP 2.6M

-68.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.5K

$2,897 CLP 2.6M

-86.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.6K

$884 CLP 790.8K

-55.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

5.18

156.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Harare: May 30, 2026

Last update for Santiago: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Harare and $519 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 125% 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: $50.0 in Harare vs $53.0 in Santiago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $242 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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Harare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Santiago earns 125% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Harare versus $519 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $283 in Harare versus $436 in Santiago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Santiago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $991 in Harare versus $1,270 in Santiago, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Harare but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Harare 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 Harare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.