Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Victoria Falls and Harare

For one person, living is cheaper in Victoria Falls: $909 a month against $1,021 in Harare, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Harare outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Harare
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Harare Living Index

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Victoria Falls

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$909

/mo nomad

Harare

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$1,021

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $909 in Victoria Falls versus $1,021 in Harare.

Victoria Falls $909
Harare $1,021

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,482 in Victoria Falls versus $1,695 in Harare.

Victoria Falls $1,482
Harare $1,695

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,055 in Victoria Falls versus $2,368 in Harare.

Victoria Falls $2,055
Harare $2,368

Living in Victoria Falls costs roughly 11% less than in Harare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Victoria Falls 33% lower, Harare 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.95 ZWL 265

$9.96 ZWL 265

-0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 ZWL 1,208

$45.84 ZWL 1,220

-0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 ZWL 156

Cappuccino

$5.96 ZWL 159

$3.07 ZWL 81.7

94.14%

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

$0.99 ZWL 26.32

$0.93 ZWL 24.65

6.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.84

$0.49 ZWL 13.10

6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

296.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ZWL 52.4

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$1.50 ZWL 39.90

36.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.00

$0.97 ZWL 25.89

1.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

$1.70 ZWL 45.34

14.12%

Eggs

$3.63 ZWL 96.6

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

92.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.1

$11.40 ZWL 303

-78.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 ZWL 156

$5.58 ZWL 148

5.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.17 ZWL 217

$6.35 ZWL 169

28.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ZWL 78.1

$2.98 ZWL 79.3

-1.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 ZWL 77.8

$1.63 ZWL 43.27

79.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 ZWL 77.6

$2.08 ZWL 55.2

39.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 ZWL 109

$1.52 ZWL 40.46

169.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 44.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$1.75 ZWL 46.51

16.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 ZWL 52.4

$1.30 ZWL 34.48

51.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZWL 40.33

$0.95 ZWL 25.26

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ZWL 93.6

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

72.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.86 ZWL 529

$8.12 ZWL 216

144.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 ZWL 35.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 52.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

$1.03 ZWL 27.37

91.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 ZWL 1,600

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 ZWL 108

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ZWL 27.09

$2.01 ZWL 53.6

-49.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ZWL 129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 ZWL 47.26

$1.80 ZWL 47.89

-1.11%

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

$21.8K ZWL 580.4K

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

$27.6K ZWL 734.5K

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

$25.15 ZWL 669

$50.8 ZWL 1,352

-50.50%

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

$25.45 ZWL 677

$21.38 ZWL 569

19.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 ZWL 1,841

$70.3 ZWL 1,870

-1.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ZWL 1,600

$48.57 ZWL 1,293

23.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.90 ZWL 397

$22.24 ZWL 592

-33.00%

Cinema Ticket

$19.93 ZWL 530

$10.12 ZWL 269

96.94%

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

$99.1 ZWL 2,636

$428 ZWL 11.4K

-76.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,080 ZWL 161.8K

$8,559 ZWL 227.8K

-28.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.10 ZWL 402

$22.89 ZWL 609

-34.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.65 ZWL 656

$20.95 ZWL 558

17.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.9 ZWL 1,594

$38.61 ZWL 1,027

55.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.18 ZWL 1,202

$39.85 ZWL 1,060

13.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,697

$383 ZWL 10.2K

-34.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,796

$314 ZWL 8,350

-42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 ZWL 13.3K

$830 ZWL 22.1K

-39.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ZWL 9,432

$736 ZWL 19.6K

-51.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$915 ZWL 24.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$795 ZWL 21.2K

$413 ZWL 11.0K

92.49%

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: October 10, 2026

Last update for Harare: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Victoria Falls

–

Harare

$314 30.7%

Groceries & Markets

Victoria Falls

–

Harare

$213 20.8%

Eating Out

Victoria Falls

–

Harare

$150 14.7%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Victoria Falls

–

Harare

$142 14%

Getting Around

Victoria Falls

–

Harare

$78 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Victoria Falls

–

Harare

$69 6.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Victoria Falls

–

Harare

$55 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $252 in Victoria Falls and $383 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 92% 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 $46.00 in Harare. Groceries flip the comparison at $248 vs $213, with Harare cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇿🇼 Victoria Falls

🇿🇼 Harare

🕒 Local time

05:18 5:18 AM

Same time as Victoria Falls

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

35,215

1,606,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZWL = 3.76 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

100 ZWL = 3.76 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Victoria Falls Harare 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Victoria Falls
Harare

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

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

Victoria Falls is cheaper overall, especially in transport. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 92% 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: $252 in Victoria Falls versus $383 in Harare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Harare pay roughly 17% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $909 per month in Victoria Falls versus $1,021 in Harare – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $909 in Victoria Falls versus $1,021 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 12% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.