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: $990 in Harare versus $1,288 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,688 in Harare versus $2,020 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Harare versus $2,752 in Santiago.

Living in Harare costs roughly 23% less than in Santiago, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Santiago 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ZWL 265

$10.72 CLP 9,983

-7.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.31 ZWL 1,316

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

-9.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ZWL 189

$8.16 CLP 7,601

-13.11%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$3.16 CLP 2,941

-6.33%

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

$0.70 ZWL 18.70

$1.78 CLP 1,660

-60.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.36

$1.25 CLP 1,162

-63.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.70

$3.31 CLP 3,086

-53.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$4.24 CLP 3,946

-51.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.01

$1.18 CLP 1,101

33.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.93

$1.53 CLP 1,429

-36.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.50

$2.18 CLP 2,031

-14.68%

Eggs

$2.10 ZWL 55.9

$4.19 CLP 3,898

-49.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ZWL 289

$10.65 CLP 9,913

1.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ZWL 166

$6.59 CLP 6,135

-5.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

-44.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

$2.09 CLP 1,947

37.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.01

$1.55 CLP 1,440

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

$2.07 CLP 1,923

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.39

$1.86 CLP 1,730

-8.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.36

$1.95 CLP 1,820

-20.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

$1.63 CLP 1,514

22.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

$1.28 CLP 1,194

-19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

$1.25 CLP 1,160

-24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 28.83

$5.75 CLP 5,359

-81.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 ZWL 249

$6.50 CLP 6,051

43.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.56 CLP 1,452

-28.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.70

$2.48 CLP 2,308

-31.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.27

$0.85 CLP 788

15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 ZWL 1,116

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

-1.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$0.51 CLP 477

876.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$1.45 CLP 1,351

36.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

-55.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.37

$1.39 CLP 1,290

11.51%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

1.90%

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

$23.0K ZWL 613.8K

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

1.97%

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

$58.0 ZWL 1,547

$134 CLP 124.6K

-56.66%

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

$17.53 ZWL 468

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

28.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.1 ZWL 2,456

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

318.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 ZWL 1,442

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

55.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 ZWL 380

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

-33.00%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 ZWL 270

$6.29 CLP 5,857

60.73%

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

$277 ZWL 7,384

$436 CLP 406.4K

-36.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,215 ZWL 192.5K

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

-17.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 ZWL 522

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

-64.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.55 ZWL 575

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

-33.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.11 ZWL 937

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

-54.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.98 ZWL 1,093

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

-52.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.6K

$515 CLP 479.3K

-22.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,436

$462 CLP 430.1K

-39.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 ZWL 25.5K

$989 CLP 920.7K

-3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.5K

$920 CLP 856.6K

-24.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 ZWL 24.9K

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

-67.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.4K

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

-85.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ZWL 10.7K

$803 CLP 747.6K

-50.19%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santiago: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Harare and $515 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 101% 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 $55.0 in Santiago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $243 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 101% lower in Santiago. 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: $398 in Harare versus $515 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $277 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 12% higher in Santiago. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $990 in Harare versus $1,288 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 30% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.