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: $991 in Harare versus $872 in Victoria Falls.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Harare versus $1,434 in Victoria Falls.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,327 in Harare versus $1,995 in Victoria Falls.

Living in Harare is roughly 14% more expensive than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Victoria Falls 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ZWL 272

$9.97 ZWL 268

1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 ZWL 1,347

$45.30 ZWL 1,216

10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 ZWL 189

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZWL 77.7

$5.94 ZWL 159

-51.35%

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

$0.67 ZWL 17.95

$0.98 ZWL 26.25

-31.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.67

$0.49 ZWL 13.12

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 39.53

$1.74 ZWL 46.84

-15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.68

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

-16.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.54

$1.02 ZWL 27.43

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ZWL 50.7

$2.01 ZWL 54.1

-5.97%

Eggs

$2.16 ZWL 58.0

$3.69 ZWL 99.1

-41.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZWL 289

$2.46 ZWL 66.1

338.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$5.87 ZWL 158

6.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$7.91 ZWL 212

-21.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ZWL 79.9

$2.93 ZWL 78.6

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 44.15

$2.98 ZWL 80.1

-44.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

$3.09 ZWL 83.0

-26.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.55

$4.07 ZWL 109

-59.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.67

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.3

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

-3.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

-51.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

$1.53 ZWL 41.02

-36.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.34 ZWL 36.06

-16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ZWL 247

$20.37 ZWL 547

-54.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 26.15

$0.84 ZWL 22.47

15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.15 ZWL 1,159

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 55.1

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

100.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.13

$1.83 ZWL 49.17

-14.21%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.5K

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

$23.9K ZWL 640.7K

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

$58.6 ZWL 1,573

$24.70 ZWL 663

137.17%

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

$17.79 ZWL 478

$25.27 ZWL 678

-29.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.2 ZWL 2,501

$67.0 ZWL 1,798

39.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ZWL 1,437

$59.8 ZWL 1,605

-10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ZWL 381

$14.80 ZWL 397

-4.05%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 267

$19.78 ZWL 531

-49.80%

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

$283 ZWL 7,599

$100 ZWL 2,689

182.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 ZWL 197.5K

$5,925 ZWL 159.1K

24.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZWL 510

$15.08 ZWL 405

25.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.04 ZWL 565

$25.41 ZWL 682

-17.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.77 ZWL 934

$60.7 ZWL 1,631

-42.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ZWL 1,075

$45.14 ZWL 1,212

-11.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$250 ZWL 6,710

61.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,527

$177 ZWL 4,751

58.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 ZWL 25.3K

$499 ZWL 13.4K

88.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ZWL 18.5K

$356 ZWL 9,569

93.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$899 ZWL 24.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.6K

$787 ZWL 21.1K

-50.00%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Harare and $250 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 100% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Harare vs $45.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $250, with Harare 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria Falls is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Victoria Falls earns 100% 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 $250 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 $991 per month in Harare versus $872 in Victoria Falls – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $872 in Victoria Falls versus $991 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 14% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.