Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $797 per month in Mutare vs $747 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,204 per month in Mutare vs $1,184 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,612 per month in Mutare vs $1,620 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Mutare costs about 7% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mutare and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 42% lower, Bulawayo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 ZWL 269

$4.42 ZWL 118

128.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 ZWL 1,074

$29.78 ZWL 794

35.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 ZWL 119

$4.89 ZWL 130

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$1.23 ZWL 32.66

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

-42.79%

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

$0.78 ZWL 20.90

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZWL 13.72

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

27.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 ZWL 35.63

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

-9.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZWL 48.38

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

-10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ZWL 32.79

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

-22.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.23

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ZWL 34.08

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

-16.34%

Eggs

$1.85 ZWL 49.29

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

-2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.98 ZWL 79.3

$9.46 ZWL 252

-68.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ZWL 108

$3.99 ZWL 106

2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.08 ZWL 135

$4.46 ZWL 119

13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

9.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ZWL 42.86

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

-21.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.33

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.52

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

38.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.31

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

-29.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.83

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

-52.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.47

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.19 ZWL 31.61

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

-18.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.15 ZWL 164

$5.14 ZWL 137

19.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 ZWL 32.58

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ZWL 44.73

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.37

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.24 ZWL 726

$29.64 ZWL 790

-8.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ZWL 78.8

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

-2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 ZWL 54.2

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

0.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 ZWL 136

$4.89 ZWL 130

3.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.26

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

13.50%

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

$22.3K ZWL 594.4K

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

-10.95%

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

$24.1K ZWL 642.3K

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

-1.65%

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

$54.5 ZWL 1,452

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

-43.49%

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

$15.19 ZWL 405

$17.81 ZWL 475

-14.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 ZWL 1,567

$110 ZWL 2,922

-46.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 ZWL 1,057

$30.91 ZWL 824

28.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$19.91 ZWL 531

-75.44%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ZWL 269

$9.92 ZWL 264

1.61%

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

$145 ZWL 3,869

$231 ZWL 6,168

-37.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,188 ZWL 244.9K

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

161.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.90 ZWL 264

$21.48 ZWL 572

-53.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.47 ZWL 252

$11.53 ZWL 307

-17.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.87 ZWL 663

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

-45.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.84 ZWL 529

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

-65.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 ZWL 9,188

$174 ZWL 4,646

97.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,713

$109 ZWL 2,915

130.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 ZWL 19.7K

$404 ZWL 10.8K

82.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ZWL 10.5K

$319 ZWL 8,514

23.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$245 ZWL 6,531

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

-88.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 ZWL 6,650

$302 ZWL 8,045

-17.34%

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 Mutare: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $345 in Mutare versus $174 in Bulawayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Bulawayo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Mutare versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Groceries tell a different story – $155 in Mutare vs $177 in Bulawayo – so Mutare wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mutare is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,195 per month in Mutare and $1,121 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, 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 $797 in Mutare and $747 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $797 in Mutare and $747 in Bulawayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mutare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.