Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Zimbabwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Zimbabwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,782 in Italy versus $487 in Zimbabwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Italy versus $803 in Zimbabwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,662 in Italy versus $1,119 in Zimbabwe.

Living in Italy is roughly 266% more expensive than in Zimbabwe on average.

Italy (30% above) and Zimbabwe (64% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.07 €18.36
$6.51 ZWL 174
223.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.0 €70.7
$38.17 ZWL 1,023
112.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.50 €10.02
$6.17 ZWL 165
86.39%
Cappuccino
$2.10 €1.83
$2.63 ZWL 70.6
-20.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 €2.67
$0.73 ZWL 19.65
320.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 €1.25
$0.52 ZWL 13.98
176.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.86 €5.11
$1.49 ZWL 39.83
293.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.72 €4.99
$2.05 ZWL 54.9
179.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 €1.39
$1.51 ZWL 40.45
5.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.10
$0.98 ZWL 26.13
145.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.61
$1.50 ZWL 40.15
99.33%
Eggs
$4.34 €3.78
$1.89 ZWL 50.5
129.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.62 €15.36
$10.05 ZWL 269
75.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.69 €11.06
$4.82 ZWL 129
163.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.80 €18.13
$5.86 ZWL 157
254.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 €2.28
$2.77 ZWL 74.1
-5.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.14 €1.87
$1.71 ZWL 45.70
25.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 €2.43
$1.98 ZWL 53.0
40.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.94
$1.37 ZWL 36.81
145.99%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$1.56 ZWL 41.69
30.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 €1.71
$1.60 ZWL 42.77
22.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 €1.36
$1.16 ZWL 30.99
34.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.46
$1.07 ZWL 28.56
-50.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.84 €5.96
$2.01 ZWL 54.0
240.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.71 €6.72
$7.15 ZWL 191
7.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 €1.62
$1.30 ZWL 34.84
43.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 €2.17
$1.96 ZWL 52.6
27.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.91 €1.67
$0.97 ZWL 26.12
96.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.16 €38.49
$45.40 ZWL 1,216
-2.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.87 €5.12
$2.97 ZWL 79.6
97.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 €1.49
$2.06 ZWL 55.1
-17.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.16 €30.65
$5.06 ZWL 136
594.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 €1.84
$1.76 ZWL 47.20
19.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K €32.2K
$24.5K ZWL 657.6K
50.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K €31.8K
$27.3K ZWL 732.3K
33.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$229 €200
$52.9 ZWL 1,418
333.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.09 €10.54
$18.34 ZWL 491
-34.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.57 €27.52
$67.4 ZWL 1,807
-53.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 €47.18
$42.60 ZWL 1,141
27.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.51 €21.37
$20.14 ZWL 540
21.70%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78 €9.40
$9.88 ZWL 265
9.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$562 €490
$329 ZWL 8,821
70.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K €10.7K
$8,311 ZWL 222.7K
47.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.3 €82.2
$19.78 ZWL 530
376.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.50
$18.25 ZWL 489
123.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €90.7
$40.70 ZWL 1,090
155.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 €119
$43.94 ZWL 1,177
210.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$832 €725
$288 ZWL 7,726
188.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$646 €564
$230 ZWL 6,159
181.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,450 €1,264
$634 ZWL 17.0K
128.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 €942
$519 ZWL 13.9K
108.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,816 €3,326
$916 ZWL 24.5K
316.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,312 €2,015
$395 ZWL 10.6K
485.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Zimbabwe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,954 €1,703
$359 ZWL 9,619
444.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.57
13.77
-74.07%

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

Last update for Italy: September 13, 2026

Last update for Zimbabwe: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $748 in Italy, $102 in Zimbabwe. Capital cities: $1,238 in Rome vs $401 in Harare.

National salary averages: $1,958 in Italy, $361 in Zimbabwe. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 633% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 178% more in Italy.

Public transport is 367% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 442% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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
Italy vs Zimbabwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Zimbabwe?
At $1,913 per month in Italy and $528 in Zimbabwe, there's a 262% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Zimbabwe: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Zimbabwe across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Italy or in Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Zimbabwe?
It depends on what you're after: Zimbabwe wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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