Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Victoria Falls Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Victoria Falls

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Harare versus $913 in Victoria Falls.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,706 in Harare versus $1,501 in Victoria Falls.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Harare versus $2,088 in Victoria Falls.

Living in Harare is roughly 13% more expensive than in Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 25% lower, Victoria Falls 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.95 ZWL 266

$10.15 ZWL 271

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.21 ZWL 1,074

$45.19 ZWL 1,207

-11.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 ZWL 158

Cappuccino

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$5.92 ZWL 158

-47.97%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.85

$0.99 ZWL 26.35

-6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

$0.52 ZWL 14.00

-5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

$4.92 ZWL 131

-69.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.62

$1.95 ZWL 52.2

-17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.52

$0.97 ZWL 25.92

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.76

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-20.00%

Eggs

$1.87 ZWL 49.85

$3.56 ZWL 95.2

-47.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 ZWL 320

$2.51 ZWL 67.1

376.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$5.95 ZWL 159

-7.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ZWL 174

$7.98 ZWL 213

-18.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ZWL 84.3

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

2.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.75

$3.05 ZWL 81.5

-47.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$2.94 ZWL 78.5

-31.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ZWL 38.96

$3.88 ZWL 104

-62.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.35

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.82

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

-8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ZWL 31.16

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

-41.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZWL 26.59

$1.48 ZWL 39.57

-32.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

$3.53 ZWL 94.4

-44.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 ZWL 237

$20.06 ZWL 536

-55.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ZWL 36.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

-48.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 ZWL 1,611

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 ZWL 109

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

$1.03 ZWL 27.51

99.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 ZWL 47.90

$1.85 ZWL 49.47

-3.24%

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

$22.4K ZWL 599.2K

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

$27.4K ZWL 732.1K

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

$54.5 ZWL 1,456

$24.95 ZWL 667

118.36%

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

$21.79 ZWL 582

$24.88 ZWL 665

-12.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 ZWL 1,803

$68.2 ZWL 1,823

-1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.78 ZWL 1,303

$60.5 ZWL 1,615

-19.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ZWL 612

$14.82 ZWL 396

54.45%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ZWL 270

$19.66 ZWL 525

-48.63%

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

$471 ZWL 12.6K

$100 ZWL 2,682

369.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,024 ZWL 241.1K

$6,028 ZWL 161.1K

49.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.01 ZWL 642

$14.77 ZWL 395

62.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.84 ZWL 557

$25.29 ZWL 676

-17.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.96 ZWL 1,041

$61.0 ZWL 1,629

-36.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 ZWL 1,132

$45.08 ZWL 1,204

-6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 ZWL 10.9K

$247 ZWL 6,612

65.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ZWL 8,559

$181 ZWL 4,829

77.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 ZWL 22.0K

$499 ZWL 13.3K

64.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ZWL 19.9K

$344 ZWL 9,204

115.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 ZWL 11.5K

$812 ZWL 21.7K

-47.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

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

Last update for Harare: September 1, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $410 in Harare and $247 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Harare vs $45.00 in Victoria Falls for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $248 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria Falls is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Victoria Falls. 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 $247 in Victoria Falls. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Harare pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Harare versus $913 in Victoria Falls – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $913 in Victoria Falls versus $1,028 in Harare, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Victoria Falls but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.