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: $790 in Mutare versus $1,056 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Mutare versus $1,734 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,639 in Mutare versus $2,411 in Harare.

Living in Mutare costs roughly 25% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mutare 42% lower, Harare 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ZWL 271

$9.98 ZWL 266

1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.66 ZWL 1,057

$39.89 ZWL 1,063

-0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ZWL 119

$5.85 ZWL 156

-23.59%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ZWL 34.11

$3.19 ZWL 85.1

-59.87%

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

$0.71 ZWL 19.05

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

-23.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.76

$0.53 ZWL 14.02

-9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ZWL 36.92

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

-7.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ZWL 48.87

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

-7.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ZWL 33.78

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

-17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 25.99

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ZWL 33.67

$1.69 ZWL 44.93

-25.44%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

-3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$11.86 ZWL 316

-75.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$5.47 ZWL 146

-27.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$6.76 ZWL 180

-25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

-32.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ZWL 42.86

$1.60 ZWL 42.51

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.5

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

$1.48 ZWL 39.40

-31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.27

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

-4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

$1.81 ZWL 48.31

-45.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

-60.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 ZWL 32.30

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

-38.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 ZWL 160

$8.85 ZWL 236

-32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.21

$1.40 ZWL 37.40

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 45.73

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

-13.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ZWL 19.00

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

-29.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.48 ZWL 706

$60.0 ZWL 1,598

-55.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

$3.97 ZWL 106

-23.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

-2.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$5.14 ZWL 137

-3.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.30

$1.84 ZWL 48.96

0.54%

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

$22.3K ZWL 593.7K

$22.3K ZWL 594.0K

-0.05%

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

$24.3K ZWL 646.3K

$27.0K ZWL 719.2K

-10.13%

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

$54.0 ZWL 1,438

$54.3 ZWL 1,448

-0.64%

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

$15.04 ZWL 401

$21.37 ZWL 569

-29.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 ZWL 1,594

$68.1 ZWL 1,814

-12.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.27 ZWL 1,047

$49.54 ZWL 1,320

-20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.95 ZWL 132

$22.14 ZWL 590

-77.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 265

$9.83 ZWL 262

1.02%

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

$149 ZWL 3,981

$459 ZWL 12.2K

-67.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,070 ZWL 241.7K

$8,889 ZWL 236.9K

2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.81 ZWL 261

$23.99 ZWL 639

-59.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.26 ZWL 247

$21.48 ZWL 573

-56.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.03 ZWL 667

$39.84 ZWL 1,062

-37.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.27 ZWL 540

$41.34 ZWL 1,102

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 ZWL 9,257

$401 ZWL 10.7K

-13.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 ZWL 6,546

$315 ZWL 8,400

-22.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ZWL 19.8K

$836 ZWL 22.3K

-10.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ZWL 10.6K

$746 ZWL 19.9K

-46.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$252 ZWL 6,726

$932 ZWL 24.8K

-72.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,711

$422 ZWL 11.2K

-40.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

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

Last update for Mutare: September 13, 2026

Last update for Harare: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $347 in Mutare and $401 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 67% 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: $40.00 in Mutare vs $40.00 in Harare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $154 vs $219 per month, with Mutare cheaper across the board.

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 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Harare. 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: $347 in Mutare versus $401 in Harare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $149 in Mutare versus $459 in Harare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $790 in Mutare versus $1,056 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 34% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.