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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Masvingo vs $780 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Masvingo vs $1,257 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,582 per month in Masvingo vs $1,735 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Masvingo is about 18% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Masvingo and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Masvingo 52% lower, Bulawayo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 ZWL 264

$4.57 ZWL 123

115.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.35 ZWL 1,325

$30.15 ZWL 810

63.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 ZWL 191

$5.52 ZWL 148

29.17%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ZWL 78.4

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

21.67%

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

$0.72 ZWL 19.36

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.38

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

-13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 52.4

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

-22.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 43.04

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

4.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ZWL 26.47

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

-1.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ZWL 50.4

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

5.62%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 56.1

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 ZWL 290

$10.44 ZWL 280

3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ZWL 173

$3.92 ZWL 105

64.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 ZWL 175

$4.37 ZWL 117

49.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ZWL 80.4

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

94.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.45

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

9.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ZWL 59.5

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

-0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.59

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

46.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.65

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

31.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

45.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.30

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 27.19

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

-4.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 29.09

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

-27.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 ZWL 243

$4.94 ZWL 133

83.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZWL 30.46

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

-23.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 47.54

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

-18.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 815

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

-12.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 ZWL 136

$4.95 ZWL 133

2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 43.05

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

-3.61%

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

$19.8K ZWL 532.6K

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

$23.8K ZWL 639.4K

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

$58.8 ZWL 1,579

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

-18.92%

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

$17.85 ZWL 479

$18.20 ZWL 489

-1.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 ZWL 2,437

$133 ZWL 3,572

-31.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 677

Cinema Ticket

$10.13 ZWL 272

$9.83 ZWL 264

3.05%

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

$275 ZWL 7,379

$138 ZWL 3,692

99.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,410 ZWL 198.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.59 ZWL 526

$22.07 ZWL 593

-11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.31 ZWL 572

$13.37 ZWL 359

59.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.64 ZWL 930

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

-49.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.66 ZWL 1,065

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

-26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$60.8 ZWL 1,634

$184 ZWL 4,931

-66.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,993

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ZWL 8,170

$466 ZWL 12.5K

-34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ZWL 3,964

$409 ZWL 11.0K

-63.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,116

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $60.8 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 $49.00 in Masvingo versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $179 – 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 22%, 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 $960 per month in Masvingo and $1,170 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 $640 in Masvingo and $780 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 $138 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 $640 in Masvingo and $780 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.