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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $913 in Victoria Falls versus $1,028 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Victoria Falls versus $1,706 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,088 in Victoria Falls versus $2,385 in Harare.

Living in Victoria Falls costs roughly 11% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Victoria Falls 34% lower, Harare 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ZWL 271

$9.95 ZWL 266

2.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.19 ZWL 1,207

$40.21 ZWL 1,074

12.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 ZWL 158

Cappuccino

$5.92 ZWL 158

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

92.21%

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

$0.99 ZWL 26.35

$0.93 ZWL 24.85

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 14.00

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 ZWL 131

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

232.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ZWL 52.2

$1.60 ZWL 42.62

21.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.92

$1.03 ZWL 27.52

-5.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

$1.64 ZWL 43.76

25.00%

Eggs

$3.56 ZWL 95.2

$1.87 ZWL 49.85

90.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.51 ZWL 67.1

$11.97 ZWL 320

-79.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ZWL 159

$5.52 ZWL 148

7.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 ZWL 213

$6.50 ZWL 174

22.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$3.15 ZWL 84.3

-2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 ZWL 81.5

$1.60 ZWL 42.75

90.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 ZWL 78.5

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

45.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 ZWL 104

$1.46 ZWL 38.96

165.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.35

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

$1.86 ZWL 49.82

9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$1.17 ZWL 31.16

70.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.57

$1.00 ZWL 26.59

48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ZWL 94.4

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

80.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 ZWL 536

$8.88 ZWL 237

125.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ZWL 36.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 ZWL 53.7

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

95.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 ZWL 1,611

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 ZWL 109

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ZWL 27.51

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

-49.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.47

$1.79 ZWL 47.90

3.35%

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

$22.4K ZWL 599.2K

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

$27.4K ZWL 732.1K

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

$24.95 ZWL 667

$54.5 ZWL 1,456

-54.20%

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

$24.88 ZWL 665

$21.79 ZWL 582

14.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 ZWL 1,823

$67.5 ZWL 1,803

1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ZWL 1,615

$48.78 ZWL 1,303

23.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 ZWL 396

$22.89 ZWL 612

-35.26%

Cinema Ticket

$19.66 ZWL 525

$10.10 ZWL 270

94.65%

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

$100 ZWL 2,682

$471 ZWL 12.6K

-78.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,028 ZWL 161.1K

$9,024 ZWL 241.1K

-33.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.77 ZWL 395

$24.01 ZWL 642

-38.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.29 ZWL 676

$20.84 ZWL 557

21.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ZWL 1,629

$38.96 ZWL 1,041

56.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.08 ZWL 1,204

$42.36 ZWL 1,132

6.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ZWL 6,612

$410 ZWL 10.9K

-39.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZWL 4,829

$320 ZWL 8,559

-43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 ZWL 13.3K

$823 ZWL 22.0K

-39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 ZWL 9,204

$744 ZWL 19.9K

-53.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$812 ZWL 21.7K

$430 ZWL 11.5K

89.03%

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 Victoria Falls: August 29, 2026

Last update for Harare: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in Victoria Falls and $410 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Victoria Falls vs $40.00 in Harare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $218 per month, with Harare 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

Victoria Falls vs Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Victoria Falls is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 89% higher in Victoria Falls, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $247 in Victoria Falls versus $410 in Harare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Harare pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $913 per month in Victoria Falls versus $1,028 in Harare – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $913 in Victoria Falls versus $1,028 in Harare, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Victoria Falls but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Victoria Falls 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 Victoria Falls gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.