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: $1,028 in Harare versus $1,233 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,706 in Harare versus $1,947 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Harare versus $2,660 in Santiago.

Living in Harare costs roughly 17% less than in Santiago, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 25% lower, Santiago 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.95 ZWL 266

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

-7.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.21 ZWL 1,074

$52.9 CLP 49.2K

-23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 ZWL 158

$9.15 CLP 8,516

-35.30%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$3.38 CLP 3,149

-8.88%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.85

$1.74 CLP 1,619

-46.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

$1.31 CLP 1,221

-62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

$4.30 CLP 4,005

-65.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

$4.94 CLP 4,599

-58.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.62

$1.37 CLP 1,272

16.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.52

$1.86 CLP 1,727

-44.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.76

$1.69 CLP 1,572

-2.96%

Eggs

$1.87 ZWL 49.85

$4.14 CLP 3,848

-54.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 ZWL 320

$11.39 CLP 10.6K

5.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$6.78 CLP 6,312

-18.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ZWL 174

$11.35 CLP 10.6K

-42.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ZWL 84.3

$2.01 CLP 1,868

56.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.75

$1.65 CLP 1,533

-3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$1.75 CLP 1,624

15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ZWL 38.96

$1.78 CLP 1,660

-17.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.35

$1.12 CLP 1,041

54.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.82

$1.61 CLP 1,499

15.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ZWL 31.16

$1.32 CLP 1,229

-11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZWL 26.59

$1.12 CLP 1,047

-10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

$5.61 CLP 5,224

-65.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 ZWL 237

$6.27 CLP 5,833

41.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ZWL 36.54

$1.60 CLP 1,488

-14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

$2.51 CLP 2,335

-22.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$0.83 CLP 777

24.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 ZWL 1,611

$42.10 CLP 39.2K

43.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 ZWL 109

$0.41 CLP 384

895.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

$0.89 CLP 828

130.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$12.16 CLP 11.3K

-59.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 ZWL 47.90

$1.59 CLP 1,478

12.58%

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

$22.4K ZWL 599.2K

$18.3K CLP 17.1M

22.25%

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

$27.4K ZWL 732.1K

$22.5K CLP 20.9M

21.91%

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

$54.5 ZWL 1,456

$155 CLP 144.1K

-64.82%

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

$21.79 ZWL 582

$13.12 CLP 12.2K

66.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 ZWL 1,803

$20.80 CLP 19.4K

224.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.78 ZWL 1,303

$34.92 CLP 32.5K

39.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ZWL 612

$12.43 CLP 11.6K

84.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ZWL 270

$7.69 CLP 7,151

31.34%

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

$471 ZWL 12.6K

$456 CLP 424.0K

3.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,024 ZWL 241.1K

$11.4K CLP 10.6M

-20.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.01 ZWL 642

$53.2 CLP 49.5K

-54.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.84 ZWL 557

$30.18 CLP 28.1K

-30.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.96 ZWL 1,041

$70.1 CLP 65.2K

-44.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 ZWL 1,132

$85.3 CLP 79.4K

-50.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 ZWL 10.9K

$555 CLP 516.8K

-26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ZWL 8,559

$389 CLP 361.7K

-17.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 ZWL 22.0K

$1,084 CLP 1.0M

-24.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ZWL 19.9K

$818 CLP 760.8K

-9.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.9K

$2,686 CLP 2.5M

-65.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 ZWL 10.3K

$2,689 CLP 2.5M

-85.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 ZWL 11.5K

$836 CLP 777.9K

-48.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

5.39

153.99%

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

Last update for Harare: September 1, 2026

Last update for Santiago: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $410 in Harare and $555 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 95% 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: $40.00 in Harare vs $53.0 in Santiago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $244 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% 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: $410 in Harare versus $555 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $471 in Harare versus $456 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 $1,028 in Harare versus $1,233 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 20% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.