Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Harare Cost of Living Comparison Between Masvingo and Harare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $640 in Masvingo versus $991 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,111 in Masvingo versus $1,659 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,582 in Masvingo versus $2,327 in Harare.

Living in Masvingo costs roughly 35% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Masvingo 52% lower, Harare 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 ZWL 264

$10.14 ZWL 272

-3.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.35 ZWL 1,325

$50.2 ZWL 1,347

-1.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 ZWL 191

$7.03 ZWL 189

1.42%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ZWL 78.4

$2.89 ZWL 77.7

1.04%

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

$0.72 ZWL 19.36

$0.67 ZWL 17.95

7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.38

$0.47 ZWL 12.67

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

$1.47 ZWL 39.53

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 52.4

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

-5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 43.04

$1.63 ZWL 43.68

-1.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ZWL 26.47

$1.03 ZWL 27.54

-3.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ZWL 50.4

$1.89 ZWL 50.7

-0.53%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 56.1

$2.16 ZWL 58.0

-3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 ZWL 290

$10.78 ZWL 289

0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ZWL 173

$6.24 ZWL 168

3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 ZWL 175

$6.24 ZWL 168

4.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ZWL 80.4

$2.97 ZWL 79.9

1.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.45

$1.64 ZWL 44.15

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ZWL 59.5

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

-3.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.59

$1.66 ZWL 44.55

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.65

$1.51 ZWL 40.67

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

$1.99 ZWL 53.3

-0.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.30

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 27.19

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

4.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 29.09

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

-3.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 ZWL 243

$9.18 ZWL 247

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZWL 30.46

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

-4.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 47.54

$1.71 ZWL 45.84

3.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 26.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.15 ZWL 1,159

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$4.89 ZWL 131

3.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

$2.05 ZWL 55.1

-2.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 ZWL 136

$4.95 ZWL 133

2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 43.05

$1.57 ZWL 42.13

1.91%

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

$19.8K ZWL 532.6K

$19.8K ZWL 530.5K

0.38%

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

$23.8K ZWL 639.4K

$23.9K ZWL 640.7K

-0.21%

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

$58.8 ZWL 1,579

$58.6 ZWL 1,573

0.38%

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

$17.85 ZWL 479

$17.79 ZWL 478

0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 ZWL 2,437

$93.2 ZWL 2,501

-2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ZWL 1,437

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ZWL 381

Cinema Ticket

$10.13 ZWL 272

$9.93 ZWL 267

2.01%

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

$275 ZWL 7,379

$283 ZWL 7,599

-2.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,410 ZWL 198.9K

$7,356 ZWL 197.5K

0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.59 ZWL 526

$19.00 ZWL 510

3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.31 ZWL 572

$21.04 ZWL 565

1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.64 ZWL 930

$34.77 ZWL 934

-0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.66 ZWL 1,065

$40.05 ZWL 1,075

-0.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$60.8 ZWL 1,634

$403 ZWL 10.8K

-84.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,527

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ZWL 8,170

$941 ZWL 25.3K

-67.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 ZWL 3,964

$688 ZWL 18.5K

-78.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$899 ZWL 24.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.6K

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 Harare: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $60.8 in Masvingo and $403 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Masvingo vs $50.0 in Harare. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $219, 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

Masvingo vs Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masvingo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $960 in Masvingo and $1,486 in Harare to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $60.8 in Masvingo versus $403 in Harare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Harare pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $640 per month in Masvingo versus $991 in Harare – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $640 in Masvingo versus $991 in Harare, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Masvingo but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Masvingo 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 Masvingo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.