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 $792 per month in Mutare vs $890 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,230 per month in Mutare vs $1,451 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,669 per month in Mutare vs $2,013 in Victoria Falls, rent included.

Mutare is about 11% cheaper than Victoria Falls, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mutare and Victoria Falls are more affordable than the global median – Mutare 41% lower, Victoria Falls 34% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.19 ZWL 258
$9.98 ZWL 253
2.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.1 ZWL 1,267
$44.91 ZWL 1,136
11.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.63 ZWL 117
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.22 ZWL 30.97
$6.10 ZWL 154
-80.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ZWL 18.09
$0.99 ZWL 25.01
-27.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ZWL 11.10
$0.49 ZWL 12.36
-10.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.39 ZWL 35.14
$1.70 ZWL 42.96
-18.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 ZWL 44.75
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ZWL 30.73
$1.96 ZWL 49.55
-38.27%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 ZWL 25.97
$0.98 ZWL 24.86
5.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.26 ZWL 31.98
$1.94 ZWL 49.15
-35.05%
Eggs
$1.88 ZWL 47.57
$3.52 ZWL 89.0
-46.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.94 ZWL 74.3
$2.44 ZWL 61.8
20.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.07 ZWL 103
$6.08 ZWL 154
-33.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.92 ZWL 124
$8.11 ZWL 205
-39.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 ZWL 51.0
$3.04 ZWL 76.9
-33.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ZWL 42.92
$3.04 ZWL 76.9
-44.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.05 ZWL 51.9
$3.03 ZWL 76.7
-32.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.97 ZWL 24.55
$4.04 ZWL 102
-75.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ZWL 38.31
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 ZWL 24.54
$2.06 ZWL 52.0
-52.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 ZWL 13.23
$1.94 ZWL 49.15
-73.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 ZWL 25.61
$1.54 ZWL 39.00
-34.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.12 ZWL 28.35
$1.34 ZWL 33.82
-16.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.95 ZWL 151
$19.71 ZWL 499
-69.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 ZWL 29.69
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ZWL 43.58
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.48 ZWL 12.12
$0.89 ZWL 22.55
-46.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.10 ZWL 686
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 ZWL 77.5
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.95 ZWL 49.35
$0.99 ZWL 24.93
96.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.89 ZWL 124
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.55 ZWL 39.30
$1.85 ZWL 46.87
-16.22%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.4K ZWL 515.3K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K ZWL 582.6K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.2 ZWL 1,447
$24.92 ZWL 630
129.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.03 ZWL 380
$25.48 ZWL 645
-41.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$61.1 ZWL 1,546
$68.4 ZWL 1,731
-10.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.40 ZWL 1,022
$60.8 ZWL 1,539
-33.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.87 ZWL 123
$14.80 ZWL 374
-67.09%
Cinema Ticket
$10.12 ZWL 256
$19.78 ZWL 500
-48.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$146 ZWL 3,686
$98.6 ZWL 2,494
47.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,422 ZWL 187.8K
$5,919 ZWL 149.8K
25.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$9.91 ZWL 251
$15.09 ZWL 382
-34.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$9.43 ZWL 239
$25.33 ZWL 641
-62.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$25.45 ZWL 644
$59.6 ZWL 1,509
-57.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$19.94 ZWL 504
$44.40 ZWL 1,123
-55.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$346 ZWL 8,761
$245 ZWL 6,209
41.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$251 ZWL 6,358
$182 ZWL 4,607
38.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$750 ZWL 19.0K
$509 ZWL 12.9K
47.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$400 ZWL 10.1K
$344 ZWL 8,702
16.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$253 ZWL 6,397
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mutare
Victoria Falls
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$252 ZWL 6,365
$791 ZWL 20.0K
-68.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.31
0
-

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

Last update for Mutare: April 27, 2026

Last update for Victoria Falls: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $346 in Mutare versus $245 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 214% 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 $50.0 in Mutare versus $45.00 in Victoria Falls. Groceries tell a different story – $154 in Mutare vs $249 in Victoria Falls – 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 Victoria Falls: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Victoria Falls cheaper than Mutare?
Yes – Victoria Falls is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,187 per month in Mutare and $1,334 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 Mutare, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Mutare vs Victoria Falls?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $792 in Mutare and $890 in Victoria Falls. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Mutare and $98.6 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 $792 in Mutare and $890 in Victoria Falls, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Mutare or Victoria Falls more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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