Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Zimbabwe Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Zimbabwe

Name: Zimbabwe
Address: ZW

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,642 per month in United States vs $491 in Zimbabwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,857 per month in United States vs $821 in Zimbabwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in United States vs $1,151 in Zimbabwe, rent included.

The cost of living in United States is about 438% higher than in Zimbabwe on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 98% above the global median, while Zimbabwe is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$7.10 ZWL 190

176.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$50.9 ZWL 1,359

48.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$6.06 ZWL 162

90.92%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$2.69 ZWL 71.7

94.05%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.73 ZWL 19.36

241.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.49 ZWL 12.99

320.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.47 ZWL 39.29

302.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

263.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.57 ZWL 42.02

-30.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.03 ZWL 27.38

245.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.83 ZWL 48.77

159.02%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

111.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$10.19 ZWL 272

24.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$5.51 ZWL 147

122.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$5.84 ZWL 156

184.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.65 ZWL 70.6

94.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.72 ZWL 45.84

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.07 ZWL 55.1

114.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.61 ZWL 42.97

198.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.56 ZWL 41.64

87.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.80 ZWL 48.15

71.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.09 ZWL 29.02

103.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.08 ZWL 28.74

108.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$1.38 ZWL 36.83

617.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$6.84 ZWL 182

123.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.79 ZWL 47.65

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

143.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$29.60 ZWL 790

118.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$5.14 ZWL 137

-26.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

-15.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$5.13 ZWL 137

486.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.62 ZWL 43.12

-40.74%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$23.1K ZWL 616.7K

29.19%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.4K ZWL 650.7K

7.20%

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

$210 $210

$53.8 ZWL 1,435

290.56%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$17.22 ZWL 459

226.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$90.0 ZWL 2,401

-19.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$47.26 ZWL 1,261

-3.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$11.08 ZWL 295

94.95%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$10.13 ZWL 270

38.60%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$225 ZWL 5,995

512.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$8,093 ZWL 215.9K

176.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$19.09 ZWL 509

176.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$19.59 ZWL 523

116.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$37.25 ZWL 994

146.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$41.76 ZWL 1,114

172.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$332 ZWL 8,862

431.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$229 ZWL 6,115

538.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$810 ZWL 21.6K

251.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$546 ZWL 14.6K

334.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$936 ZWL 25.0K

259.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$395 ZWL 10.5K

575.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$341 ZWL 9,090

1185.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.5

-51.78%

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

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zimbabwe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,635 in United States vs $105 in Zimbabwe. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,625 in Washington, MI and $398 in Harare.

Average salary: $4,500 in United States vs $355 in Zimbabwe. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1457% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 128% more in United States.

Public transport is 213% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 1168% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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

United States vs Zimbabwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zimbabwe is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 558% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zimbabwe, contributing to the overall 558% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zimbabwe, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Zimbabwe is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.