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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $803 per month in Mutare vs $766 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,245 per month in Mutare vs $1,274 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,686 per month in Mutare vs $1,782 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Mutare costs about 5% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mutare and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 40% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.18 ZWL 272

$4.42 ZWL 118

130.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,359

$29.55 ZWL 788

72.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 ZWL 117

$5.52 ZWL 147

-20.29%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ZWL 33.86

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

-46.86%

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

$0.71 ZWL 19.00

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

36.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.44

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 ZWL 35.38

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

-26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 47.24

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

-28.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZWL 33.73

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

-20.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.92

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

-3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ZWL 34.11

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

-28.89%

Eggs

$1.91 ZWL 51.0

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

5.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.08 ZWL 82.1

$10.46 ZWL 279

-70.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ZWL 105

$3.89 ZWL 104

1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 ZWL 131

$4.31 ZWL 115

13.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

31.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.77

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

-12.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

-8.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ZWL 41.87

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

36.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 26.98

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

-27.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ZWL 13.07

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

-52.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

-10.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.62

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

-27.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 ZWL 160

$4.97 ZWL 133

20.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZWL 30.10

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

-26.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ZWL 44.01

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

-22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.91

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.63 ZWL 710

$30.04 ZWL 802

-11.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 ZWL 79.4

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

0.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

-12.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$5.02 ZWL 134

-0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.11

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

-1.22%

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

$20.1K ZWL 535.7K

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

$23.3K ZWL 621.6K

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,572

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

-17.73%

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

$15.09 ZWL 403

$18.35 ZWL 490

-17.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 ZWL 1,624

$134 ZWL 3,585

-54.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.80 ZWL 1,062

$25.50 ZWL 680

56.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.11 ZWL 136

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 265

$9.95 ZWL 265

-0.20%

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

$147 ZWL 3,915

$142 ZWL 3,781

3.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,303 ZWL 194.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.82 ZWL 262

$21.35 ZWL 570

-54.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.56 ZWL 255

$13.38 ZWL 357

-28.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.60 ZWL 656

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

-64.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.03 ZWL 534

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

-64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ZWL 9,490

$184 ZWL 4,899

93.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ZWL 6,617

$112 ZWL 2,992

121.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 ZWL 20.4K

$459 ZWL 12.2K

66.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$414 ZWL 11.1K

-3.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$248 ZWL 6,616

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

-88.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,713

$301 ZWL 8,034

-16.44%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 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, 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 $51.0 in Mutare versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Groceries tell a different story – $153 in Mutare vs $180 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 5%, 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 $1,205 per month in Mutare and $1,149 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 $803 in Mutare and $766 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 13% 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 $803 in Mutare and $766 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.