Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Harare Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Harare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mutare versus $991 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,247 in Mutare versus $1,663 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,715 in Mutare versus $2,335 in Harare.

Living in Mutare costs roughly 21% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mutare 42% lower, Harare 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.07 ZWL 270

$10.11 ZWL 271

-0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 ZWL 1,359

$49.12 ZWL 1,315

3.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ZWL 124

$7.01 ZWL 188

-33.95%

Cappuccino

$1.27 ZWL 34.11

$2.92 ZWL 78.1

-56.51%

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

$0.67 ZWL 18.04

$0.68 ZWL 18.12

-1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.51

$0.43 ZWL 11.59

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 ZWL 35.11

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZWL 48.65

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

-6.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZWL 33.12

$1.62 ZWL 43.48

-23.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ZWL 35.64

$1.93 ZWL 51.7

-31.09%

Eggs

$1.92 ZWL 51.5

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

-8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.7

$10.86 ZWL 291

-72.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ZWL 109

$6.46 ZWL 173

-37.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.17 ZWL 139

$6.21 ZWL 166

-16.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ZWL 54.3

$3.01 ZWL 80.6

-32.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.93

$1.68 ZWL 45.09

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$2.20 ZWL 59.0

-8.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

$1.71 ZWL 45.73

-42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 ZWL 41.97

$1.49 ZWL 39.76

5.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.17

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

-52.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ZWL 13.70

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

-50.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

7.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.91

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 ZWL 158

$8.94 ZWL 239

-34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.39

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ZWL 44.96

$1.77 ZWL 47.25

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.77

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.01 ZWL 723

$42.56 ZWL 1,139

-36.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 ZWL 81.9

$5.05 ZWL 135

-39.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

-0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ZWL 130

$5.14 ZWL 137

-5.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.72

$1.61 ZWL 43.06

-3.11%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.2K

$20.0K ZWL 535.8K

-1.05%

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

$23.5K ZWL 628.4K

$23.6K ZWL 632.9K

-0.71%

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

$57.5 ZWL 1,540

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

-2.23%

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

$14.83 ZWL 397

$17.40 ZWL 466

-14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 ZWL 1,627

$94.1 ZWL 2,519

-35.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 ZWL 1,070

$53.3 ZWL 1,426

-24.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 ZWL 131

$14.15 ZWL 379

-65.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ZWL 267

$9.94 ZWL 266

0.40%

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

$148 ZWL 3,961

$279 ZWL 7,477

-47.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,258 ZWL 194.3K

$7,278 ZWL 194.8K

-0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.85 ZWL 264

$19.51 ZWL 522

-49.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.39 ZWL 251

$21.18 ZWL 567

-55.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.10 ZWL 672

$34.22 ZWL 916

-26.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.78 ZWL 529

$40.55 ZWL 1,085

-51.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ZWL 9,491

$403 ZWL 10.8K

-12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,748

$280 ZWL 7,502

-10.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 ZWL 20.2K

$967 ZWL 25.9K

-22.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.7K

$695 ZWL 18.6K

-42.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$253 ZWL 6,783

$919 ZWL 24.6K

-72.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 ZWL 6,599

$393 ZWL 10.5K

-37.22%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Harare: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $355 in Mutare and $403 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 59% 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: $51.0 in Mutare vs $49.00 in Harare. Groceries flip the comparison at $155 vs $220, with Mutare 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

Mutare vs Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mutare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Harare earns 59% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $355 in Mutare versus $403 in Harare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $148 in Mutare versus $279 in Harare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $779 in Mutare versus $991 in Harare, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mutare but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Mutare 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 Mutare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.