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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $618 per month in Masvingo vs $766 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,108 per month in Masvingo vs $1,274 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,599 per month in Masvingo vs $1,782 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 54% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 ZWL 263

$4.42 ZWL 118

123.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 ZWL 1,321

$29.55 ZWL 788

67.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ZWL 190

$5.52 ZWL 147

28.99%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ZWL 80.2

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

25.52%

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

$0.72 ZWL 19.19

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ZWL 40.34

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

-16.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

-19.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.11

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

8.33%

Eggs

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

14.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 ZWL 289

$10.46 ZWL 279

3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ZWL 167

$3.89 ZWL 104

60.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.22 ZWL 166

$4.31 ZWL 115

44.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.7

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

104.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.60

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

12.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ZWL 60.3

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.67

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

51.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

35.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 54.9

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

48.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 26.89

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ZWL 24.95

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 ZWL 28.57

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

-30.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 ZWL 249

$4.97 ZWL 133

87.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.49

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

-22.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ZWL 45.36

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

-20.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 ZWL 802

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 ZWL 135

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

70.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 54.9

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

-6.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 ZWL 136

$5.02 ZWL 134

1.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

-6.71%

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

$20.4K ZWL 544.0K

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

$23.1K ZWL 615.5K

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

$58.5 ZWL 1,562

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

-18.27%

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

$17.53 ZWL 468

$18.35 ZWL 490

-4.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.1 ZWL 2,457

$134 ZWL 3,585

-31.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ZWL 269

$9.95 ZWL 265

1.51%

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

$275 ZWL 7,346

$142 ZWL 3,781

94.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,255 ZWL 193.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.70 ZWL 526

$21.35 ZWL 570

-7.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.61 ZWL 576

$13.38 ZWL 357

61.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.69 ZWL 925

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

-49.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.11 ZWL 1,070

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

-28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$60.3 ZWL 1,608

$184 ZWL 4,899

-67.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,992

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ZWL 7,998

$459 ZWL 12.2K

-34.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 ZWL 4,065

$414 ZWL 11.1K

-63.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 ZWL 8,034

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 Masvingo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $60.3 in Masvingo versus $184 in Bulawayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Masvingo versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $180 – 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 24%, 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 $927 per month in Masvingo and $1,149 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Masvingo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $618 in Masvingo and $766 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Masvingo and $142 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 $618 in Masvingo and $766 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.