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: $990 in Harare versus $900 in Victoria Falls.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,688 in Harare versus $1,451 in Victoria Falls.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Harare versus $2,003 in Victoria Falls.

Living in Harare is roughly 10% more expensive than in Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Victoria Falls 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ZWL 265

$9.91 ZWL 264

0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.31 ZWL 1,316

$45.63 ZWL 1,217

8.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ZWL 189

Cappuccino

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$5.85 ZWL 156

-49.40%

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

$0.70 ZWL 18.70

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

-30.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.36

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.70

$1.69 ZWL 45.08

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.01

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

-20.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.93

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

-1.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.50

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

-8.82%

Eggs

$2.10 ZWL 55.9

$3.64 ZWL 97.3

-42.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ZWL 289

$2.52 ZWL 67.1

329.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ZWL 166

$5.94 ZWL 158

4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$7.78 ZWL 208

-20.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

$2.94 ZWL 78.3

-2.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.01

$3.03 ZWL 80.7

-44.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

$3.04 ZWL 81.2

-28.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.39

$3.90 ZWL 104

-56.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.36

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

-2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

-47.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

-37.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 28.83

$1.29 ZWL 34.44

-16.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 ZWL 249

$19.99 ZWL 533

-53.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.27

$0.84 ZWL 22.53

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 ZWL 1,116

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$0.98 ZWL 26.09

102.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.37

$1.85 ZWL 49.23

-16.22%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

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

$23.0K ZWL 613.8K

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

$58.0 ZWL 1,547

$24.85 ZWL 663

133.32%

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

$17.53 ZWL 468

$25.20 ZWL 672

-30.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.1 ZWL 2,456

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

33.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 ZWL 1,442

$60.1 ZWL 1,603

-10.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 ZWL 380

$14.76 ZWL 394

-3.59%

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 ZWL 270

$19.87 ZWL 530

-49.12%

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

$277 ZWL 7,384

$101 ZWL 2,682

175.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,215 ZWL 192.5K

$6,015 ZWL 160.5K

19.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 ZWL 522

$15.13 ZWL 404

29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.55 ZWL 575

$25.40 ZWL 678

-15.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.11 ZWL 937

$60.9 ZWL 1,625

-42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.98 ZWL 1,093

$44.44 ZWL 1,186

-7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.6K

$248 ZWL 6,618

60.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,436

$180 ZWL 4,811

54.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 ZWL 25.5K

$493 ZWL 13.2K

93.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.5K

$350 ZWL 9,336

98.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 ZWL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ZWL 10.7K

$797 ZWL 21.3K

-49.82%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $398 in Harare and $248 in Victoria Falls. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Harare vs $46.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $248, 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 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 99% 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: $398 in Harare versus $248 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 $990 per month in Harare versus $900 in Victoria Falls – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $900 in Victoria Falls versus $990 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 10% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.