Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $607 per month in Masvingo vs $747 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $999 per month in Masvingo vs $1,184 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,391 per month in Masvingo vs $1,620 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Masvingo is about 19% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Masvingo and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Masvingo 56% lower, Bulawayo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 ZWL 265

$4.42 ZWL 117

125.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.21 ZWL 1,041

$29.78 ZWL 791

31.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ZWL 163

$4.89 ZWL 130

25.36%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ZWL 83.1

$2.15 ZWL 57.2

45.58%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

$0.48 ZWL 12.62

93.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ZWL 14.22

$0.40 ZWL 10.55

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 38.91

$1.48 ZWL 39.35

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 51.9

$2.03 ZWL 53.9

-3.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 40.74

$1.59 ZWL 42.27

-3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ZWL 26.34

$1.02 ZWL 26.96

-2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.11

$1.53 ZWL 40.62

11.11%

Eggs

$1.92 ZWL 51.0

$1.89 ZWL 50.1

1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.78 ZWL 313

$9.46 ZWL 251

24.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 ZWL 149

$3.99 ZWL 106

40.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.62 ZWL 176

$4.46 ZWL 119

48.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ZWL 81.4

$1.85 ZWL 49.15

65.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ZWL 42.35

$1.60 ZWL 42.61

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

$2.48 ZWL 66.0

-16.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.44

$1.00 ZWL 26.61

48.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 45.84

$1.21 ZWL 32.25

42.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.40

$1.44 ZWL 38.20

23.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZWL 30.75

$1.10 ZWL 29.22

5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.36

$0.79 ZWL 21.06

30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$1.46 ZWL 38.72

34.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.08 ZWL 241

$5.14 ZWL 137

76.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ZWL 36.35

$1.40 ZWL 37.18

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.1

$1.92 ZWL 51.0

2.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ZWL 108

$3.04 ZWL 80.8

33.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 ZWL 54.2

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 ZWL 136

$4.89 ZWL 130

4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ZWL 48.89

$1.63 ZWL 43.19

12.88%

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

$22.1K ZWL 587.9K

$25.0K ZWL 665.2K

-11.62%

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

$27.6K ZWL 732.7K

$24.5K ZWL 650.9K

12.57%

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

$54.4 ZWL 1,445

$96.4 ZWL 2,561

-43.58%

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

$21.34 ZWL 567

$17.81 ZWL 473

19.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 ZWL 1,788

$110 ZWL 2,912

-38.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 821

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 529

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ZWL 270

$9.92 ZWL 264

2.52%

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

$454 ZWL 12.1K

$231 ZWL 6,147

96.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,943 ZWL 237.5K

$3,519 ZWL 93.5K

154.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.35 ZWL 647

$21.48 ZWL 570

13.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.25 ZWL 564

$11.53 ZWL 306

84.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.91 ZWL 1,033

$45.41 ZWL 1,206

-14.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.28 ZWL 1,096

$58.1 ZWL 1,544

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,630

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,905

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,485

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,018

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

-8.73%

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

Last update for Masvingo: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Masvingo versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $177 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Masvingo vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $910 per month in Masvingo and $1,121 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $607 in Masvingo and $747 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Masvingo and $231 in Bulawayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $607 in Masvingo and $747 in Bulawayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Masvingo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Masvingo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bulawayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.