Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Victoria Falls

For one person, living is cheaper in Mutare: $780 a month against $905 in Victoria Falls, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. The total is higher in Victoria Falls despite lower rent and utilities.

Mutare, Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Mutare
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
$780
/mo nomad
Victoria Falls
🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
$905
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mutare and in Victoria Falls

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mutare and in Victoria Falls actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $780 per month in Mutare vs $905 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

  • Mutare $780
  • Victoria Falls $905

A couple spends around $1,212 per month in Mutare vs $1,471 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

  • Mutare $1,212
  • Victoria Falls $1,471

A family of three spends $1,643 per month in Mutare vs $2,037 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

  • Mutare $1,643
  • Victoria Falls $2,037

Mutare is about 14% cheaper than Victoria Falls, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mutare and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 42% lower, Victoria Falls 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.80 ZWL 260
$10.16 ZWL 270
-3.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.81 ZWL 1,190
$44.97 ZWL 1,194
-0.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.48 ZWL 119
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.21 ZWL 32.24
$6.02 ZWL 160
-79.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ZWL 19.33
$0.99 ZWL 26.16
-26.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ZWL 12.36
$0.49 ZWL 12.89
-4.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.24 ZWL 32.86
$5.09 ZWL 135
-75.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 ZWL 48.83
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 ZWL 32.53
$1.96 ZWL 52.2
-37.76%
White Bread (500g)
$0.98 ZWL 26.04
$1.02 ZWL 26.97
-3.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 ZWL 33.81
$2.02 ZWL 53.6
-37.13%
Eggs
$1.92 ZWL 50.9
$3.53 ZWL 93.8
-45.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.97 ZWL 78.9
$2.47 ZWL 65.6
20.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.91 ZWL 104
$5.93 ZWL 158
-34.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.12 ZWL 136
$7.76 ZWL 206
-34.02%
Apples (1kg)
$2.06 ZWL 54.6
$2.98 ZWL 79.1
-30.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ZWL 45.60
$2.93 ZWL 77.9
-41.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 ZWL 54.6
$2.93 ZWL 77.8
-30.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.03 ZWL 27.33
$3.94 ZWL 105
-73.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.67 ZWL 44.37
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 ZWL 25.82
$2.03 ZWL 54.0
-52.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 ZWL 13.82
$1.95 ZWL 51.8
-73.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 ZWL 26.49
$1.52 ZWL 40.45
-34.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.19 ZWL 31.51
$3.50 ZWL 92.9
-66.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.85 ZWL 155
$19.76 ZWL 525
-70.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 ZWL 32.47
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 ZWL 44.29
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.73 ZWL 19.28
$2.04 ZWL 54.3
-64.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.36 ZWL 727
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.98 ZWL 79.1
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.03 ZWL 54.0
$1.01 ZWL 26.85
100.99%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.05 ZWL 134
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 ZWL 48.02
$1.83 ZWL 48.71
-1.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K ZWL 578.3K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1K ZWL 640.9K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$50.3 ZWL 1,337
$24.51 ZWL 651
105.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.71 ZWL 391
$24.62 ZWL 654
-40.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.6 ZWL 1,584
$67.1 ZWL 1,783
-11.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.90 ZWL 1,060
$59.0 ZWL 1,567
-32.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.95 ZWL 131
$15.04 ZWL 399
-67.09%
Cinema Ticket
$10.17 ZWL 270
$19.65 ZWL 522
-48.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$150 ZWL 3,986
$98.9 ZWL 2,625
51.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,598 ZWL 228.4K
$5,881 ZWL 156.2K
46.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$9.93 ZWL 264
$14.74 ZWL 392
-32.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$9.69 ZWL 257
$25.34 ZWL 673
-61.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$25.39 ZWL 674
$59.1 ZWL 1,569
-57.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$20.14 ZWL 535
$45.40 ZWL 1,206
-55.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$356 ZWL 9,454
$246 ZWL 6,540
44.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$247 ZWL 6,547
$181 ZWL 4,811
36.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$747 ZWL 19.8K
$497 ZWL 13.2K
50.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 ZWL 10.4K
$346 ZWL 9,199
13.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$254 ZWL 6,756
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$254 ZWL 6,733
$816 ZWL 21.7K
-68.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.69
0
-

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

Last update for Mutare: November 1, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mutare
$247
Victoria Falls
–
Groceries & Markets
Mutare
$155
Victoria Falls
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mutare
$125
Victoria Falls
–
Eating Out
Mutare
$121
Victoria Falls
–
Sport & Entertainment
Mutare
$60
Victoria Falls
–
Getting Around
Mutare
$43
Victoria Falls
–
Clothing & Footwear
Mutare
$29
Victoria Falls
–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Mutare versus $246 in Victoria Falls. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Victoria Falls are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Mutare versus $45 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $246 – making Mutare the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇼 Mutare
🇿🇼 Victoria Falls
🕒 Local time
05:02 5:02 AM
05:02 5:02 AM
Same time as Mutare
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
188,243
35,215
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to ZWL – Zimbabwean Dollar Converter

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 26.56 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.77 USD). 1 EUR = 29.9 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mutare Victoria Falls 730 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Mutare
  • Victoria Falls

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mutare cheaper than Victoria Falls?
Yes – Victoria Falls is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,170 per month in Mutare and $1,357 in Victoria Falls. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Victoria Falls, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $246 there versus $356 in Mutare.
How do food prices compare in Mutare and in Victoria Falls?
Groceries cost about 59% more in Victoria Falls, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Mutare and $99 in Victoria Falls. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Mutare or Victoria Falls?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Mutare and $905 in Victoria Falls, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mutare. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Victoria Falls makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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