Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Buenos Aires

For one person, living is cheaper in Mutare: $789 a month against $1,656 in Buenos Aires, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mutare
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
$789
/mo nomad
Buenos Aires
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,656
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mutare and in Buenos Aires

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mutare and in Buenos Aires actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Mutare versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires.

  • Mutare $789
  • Buenos Aires $1,656

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,220 in Mutare versus $2,697 in Buenos Aires.

  • Mutare $1,220
  • Buenos Aires $2,697

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,651 in Mutare versus $3,737 in Buenos Aires.

  • Mutare $1,651
  • Buenos Aires $3,737

Living in Mutare costs roughly 52% less than in Buenos Aires, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mutare is 42% below, Buenos Aires is 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.15 ZWL 270
$19.09 ARS 29.0K
-46.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.07 ZWL 1,199
$65.8 ARS 99.9K
-31.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.42 ZWL 118
$13.20 ARS 20.0K
-66.52%
Cappuccino
$1.28 ZWL 34.07
$3.85 ARS 5,841
-66.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ZWL 19.54
$1.99 ARS 3,020
-63.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ZWL 12.11
$1.60 ARS 2,430
-71.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.22 ZWL 32.33
$3.93 ARS 5,959
-68.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 ZWL 47.47
$4.61 ARS 7,003
-61.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 ZWL 32.42
$1.50 ARS 2,272
-18.67%
White Bread (500g)
$0.98 ZWL 26.14
$2.53 ARS 3,837
-61.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ZWL 35.28
$1.61 ARS 2,445
-17.39%
Eggs
$1.87 ZWL 49.72
$2.84 ARS 4,316
-34.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.92 ZWL 77.8
$10.30 ARS 15.6K
-71.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.04 ZWL 107
$10.00 ARS 15.2K
-59.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.01 ZWL 133
$13.30 ARS 20.2K
-62.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 ZWL 54.3
$2.88 ARS 4,366
-29.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ZWL 45.15
$2.20 ARS 3,334
-22.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 ZWL 54.6
$1.40 ARS 2,120
46.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.98 ZWL 26.18
$1.98 ARS 3,004
-50.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 ZWL 46.52
$1.21 ARS 1,835
44.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 ZWL 26.33
$1.26 ARS 1,910
-21.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 ZWL 12.83
$1.71 ARS 2,592
-71.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 ZWL 26.41
$1.72 ARS 2,603
-42.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.18 ZWL 31.32
$4.29 ARS 6,505
-72.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.09 ZWL 162
$5.70 ARS 8,645
6.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 ZWL 31.32
$2.17 ARS 3,288
-45.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 ZWL 45.96
$2.76 ARS 4,188
-37.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 ZWL 20.48
$0.75 ARS 1,141
2.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 ZWL 704
$27.27 ARS 41.4K
-2.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ZWL 80.3
$1.57 ARS 2,375
92.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 ZWL 52.6
$1.03 ARS 1,558
92.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.94 ZWL 131
$7.90 ARS 12.0K
-37.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.86 ZWL 49.42
$1.42 ARS 2,160
30.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K ZWL 575.1K
$27.9K ARS 42.4M
-22.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K ZWL 629.3K
$35.0K ARS 53.1M
-32.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.7 ZWL 1,349
$195 ARS 296.2K
-74.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.72 ZWL 392
$25.16 ARS 38.2K
-41.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.4 ZWL 1,580
$31.54 ARS 47.9K
88.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.95 ZWL 1,063
$50.9 ARS 77.3K
-21.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.05 ZWL 134
$16.73 ARS 25.4K
-69.81%
Cinema Ticket
$9.89 ZWL 263
$10.34 ARS 15.7K
-4.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$150 ZWL 4,002
$463 ARS 703.2K
-67.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,553 ZWL 227.6K
$8,793 ARS 13.3M
-2.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.06 ZWL 268
$120 ARS 181.8K
-91.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$9.48 ZWL 252
$95.5 ARS 144.9K
-90.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$24.80 ZWL 660
$114 ARS 173.1K
-78.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$20.27 ZWL 539
$139 ARS 211.4K
-85.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$356 ZWL 9,462
$756 ARS 1.1M
-52.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$253 ZWL 6,742
$520 ARS 788.8K
-51.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$750 ZWL 19.9K
$1,590 ARS 2.4M
-52.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$395 ZWL 10.5K
$1,198 ARS 1.8M
-67.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$246 ZWL 6,539
$2,713 ARS 4.1M
-90.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,901 ARS 2.9M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mutare
Buenos Aires
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$247 ZWL 6,566
$938 ARS 1.4M
-73.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.69
57.25
-76.09%

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

Last update for Mutare: October 12, 2026

Last update for Buenos Aires: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mutare
$253
Buenos Aires
$520 105% $266
Groceries & Markets
Mutare
$155
Buenos Aires
$283 82.9% $128
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mutare
$125
Buenos Aires
$252 102% $127
Eating Out
Mutare
$124
Buenos Aires
$282 127% $158
Sport & Entertainment
Mutare
$60
Buenos Aires
$72 19.9% $12
Getting Around
Mutare
$42
Buenos Aires
$37 12.9% $5.5
Clothing & Footwear
Mutare
$29
Buenos Aires
$211 625% $182

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $356 in Mutare and $756 in Buenos Aires. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buenos Aires pays 280% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Mutare vs $66.0 in Buenos Aires for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $283 per month, with Mutare cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇿🇼 Mutare
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires
🕒 Local time
00:11 12:11 AM
19:11 7:11 PM
5 h behind Mutare
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
188,243
2,891,082 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to ZWL – Zimbabwean Dollar Converter

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 26.61 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.76 USD). 1 EUR = 29.92 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,517 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.59 USD). 1 EUR = 1,706 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mutare Buenos Aires 8,920 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mutare
  • Buenos Aires

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Mutare vs Buenos Aires: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mutare and in Buenos Aires?
Mutare and Buenos Aires differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($789 vs $1,656 including rent). Mutare is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 280% lower in Buenos Aires. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mutare and in Buenos Aires?
Rent for a central apartment: $356 in Mutare versus $756 in Buenos Aires. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mutare and Buenos Aires?
Childcare runs $150 in Mutare versus $463 in Buenos Aires. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Buenos Aires. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $789 in Mutare versus $1,656 in Buenos Aires, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mutare but tight or insufficient in Buenos Aires. The gap between the two cities makes Mutare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mutare and Buenos Aires?
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.
Is Mutare or Buenos Aires safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mutare and Buenos Aires are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mutare or Buenos Aires?
Expats usually find Mutare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Buenos Aires. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Mutare vs other spots: cost of living compared

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