Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Victoria Falls Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Victoria Falls

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Mutare vs $909 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Mutare vs $1,471 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,639 per month in Mutare vs $2,033 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Mutare is about 13% cheaper than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mutare and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 42% lower, Victoria Falls 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ZWL 271

$10.07 ZWL 268

0.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.66 ZWL 1,057

$44.16 ZWL 1,177

-10.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.47 ZWL 119

Cappuccino

$1.28 ZWL 34.11

$5.92 ZWL 158

-78.38%

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

$0.71 ZWL 19.05

$1.02 ZWL 27.18

-30.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZWL 12.76

$0.48 ZWL 12.69

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ZWL 36.92

$4.98 ZWL 133

-72.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ZWL 48.87

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ZWL 33.78

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

-35.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 25.99

$0.97 ZWL 25.97

1.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ZWL 33.67

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

-35.05%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$3.55 ZWL 94.6

-46.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$2.53 ZWL 67.5

17.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$6.08 ZWL 162

-34.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$8.03 ZWL 214

-36.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

-31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ZWL 42.86

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

-46.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.5

$2.98 ZWL 79.3

-31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

$4.04 ZWL 108

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.27

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-52.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ZWL 12.85

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

-76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ZWL 26.43

$1.52 ZWL 40.46

-34.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 ZWL 32.30

$3.35 ZWL 89.2

-63.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 ZWL 160

$20.10 ZWL 536

-70.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.21

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 45.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 ZWL 19.00

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

-63.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.48 ZWL 706

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

$1.02 ZWL 27.25

97.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.30

$1.83 ZWL 48.90

1.09%

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

$22.3K ZWL 593.7K

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

$24.3K ZWL 646.3K

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

$54.0 ZWL 1,438

$25.26 ZWL 673

113.70%

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

$15.04 ZWL 401

$24.69 ZWL 658

-39.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 ZWL 1,594

$67.3 ZWL 1,794

-11.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.27 ZWL 1,047

$60.4 ZWL 1,609

-34.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.95 ZWL 132

$15.13 ZWL 403

-67.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 265

$20.07 ZWL 535

-50.52%

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

$149 ZWL 3,981

$99.1 ZWL 2,641

50.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,070 ZWL 241.7K

$5,911 ZWL 157.5K

53.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.81 ZWL 261

$15.02 ZWL 400

-34.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.26 ZWL 247

$25.41 ZWL 677

-63.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.03 ZWL 667

$61.0 ZWL 1,624

-58.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.27 ZWL 540

$44.78 ZWL 1,193

-54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 ZWL 9,257

$252 ZWL 6,705

38.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 ZWL 6,546

$181 ZWL 4,830

35.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 ZWL 19.8K

$505 ZWL 13.5K

47.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 ZWL 10.6K

$355 ZWL 9,458

12.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$252 ZWL 6,726

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,711

$805 ZWL 21.5K

-68.73%

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 Victoria Falls: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Mutare versus $252 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 run about 220% higher in Victoria Falls, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Mutare versus $44.00 in Victoria Falls. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $154 vs $249 – making Mutare the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Victoria Falls is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Mutare and $1,363 in Victoria Falls. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mutare, 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 $790 in Mutare and $909 in Victoria Falls. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $149 per month in Mutare and $99.1 in Victoria Falls. 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 $790 in Mutare and $909 in Victoria Falls, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mutare – 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 Mutare. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Victoria Falls makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.