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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A couple spends around $1,231 per month in Mutare vs $1,257 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Mutare vs $1,735 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Mutare and Bulawayo have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.03 ZWL 269

$4.57 ZWL 123

119.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.07 ZWL 1,318

$30.15 ZWL 810

62.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ZWL 122

$5.52 ZWL 148

-17.93%

Cappuccino

$1.26 ZWL 33.84

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

-47.50%

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

$0.71 ZWL 19.19

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

47.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.74

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.38 ZWL 37.02

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

-19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ZWL 49.20

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

-27.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ZWL 32.86

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

-20.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.47

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ZWL 35.89

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

-24.72%

Eggs

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

7.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 81.0

$10.44 ZWL 280

-71.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ZWL 106

$3.92 ZWL 105

0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.90 ZWL 131

$4.37 ZWL 117

12.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ZWL 53.0

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

27.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.48

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

14.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 55.3

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

-7.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.41

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

-13.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ZWL 42.09

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

33.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.48

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

-27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ZWL 13.85

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

-49.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.63

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

-10.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 ZWL 28.78

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

-27.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 ZWL 159

$4.94 ZWL 133

19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.53

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

-20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 46.13

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

-21.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 ZWL 717

$30.35 ZWL 815

-11.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.8

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

1.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

-9.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 ZWL 134

$4.95 ZWL 133

0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.10

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

-5.42%

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

$20.0K ZWL 536.3K

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

$23.6K ZWL 633.4K

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

$57.6 ZWL 1,547

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

-20.53%

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

$14.79 ZWL 397

$18.20 ZWL 489

-18.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.7 ZWL 1,629

$133 ZWL 3,572

-54.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.43 ZWL 1,086

$25.22 ZWL 677

60.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.01 ZWL 135

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ZWL 271

$9.83 ZWL 264

2.54%

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

$147 ZWL 3,943

$138 ZWL 3,692

6.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,177 ZWL 192.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.84 ZWL 264

$22.07 ZWL 593

-55.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.37 ZWL 252

$13.37 ZWL 359

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.77 ZWL 665

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

-63.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.04 ZWL 538

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

-63.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 ZWL 9,314

$184 ZWL 4,931

88.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ZWL 6,627

$111 ZWL 2,993

121.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ZWL 20.3K

$466 ZWL 12.5K

62.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ZWL 10.6K

$409 ZWL 11.0K

-3.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$247 ZWL 6,645

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

-87.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,766

$302 ZWL 8,116

-16.63%

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 Mutare: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Mutare 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.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Bulawayo. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Mutare versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Mutare vs $179 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,170 per month in Mutare 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 Bulawayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Mutare – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Mutare and $138 in Bulawayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Mutare and $780 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.