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: $900 in Victoria Falls versus $990 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,451 in Victoria Falls versus $1,688 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Victoria Falls versus $2,385 in Harare.

Living in Victoria Falls costs roughly 9% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Victoria Falls 33% lower, Harare 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.91 ZWL 264

$9.92 ZWL 265

-0.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.63 ZWL 1,217

$49.31 ZWL 1,316

-7.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ZWL 189

Cappuccino

$5.85 ZWL 156

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

97.64%

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

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

$0.70 ZWL 18.70

44.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

$0.46 ZWL 12.36

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ZWL 45.08

$1.53 ZWL 40.70

10.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$1.57 ZWL 42.01

26.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

$0.97 ZWL 25.93

1.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$1.86 ZWL 49.50

9.68%

Eggs

$3.64 ZWL 97.3

$2.10 ZWL 55.9

73.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.52 ZWL 67.1

$10.83 ZWL 289

-76.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 ZWL 158

$6.23 ZWL 166

-4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.78 ZWL 208

$6.21 ZWL 166

25.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ZWL 78.3

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 ZWL 80.7

$1.69 ZWL 45.01

79.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 81.2

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

40.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 ZWL 104

$1.70 ZWL 45.39

129.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.36

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.8

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

91.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

61.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.29 ZWL 34.44

$1.08 ZWL 28.83

19.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.99 ZWL 533

$9.32 ZWL 249

114.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 ZWL 22.53

$0.98 ZWL 26.27

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 ZWL 1,116

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 ZWL 26.09

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

-50.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 ZWL 49.23

$1.55 ZWL 41.37

19.35%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

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

$23.0K ZWL 613.8K

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

$24.85 ZWL 663

$58.0 ZWL 1,547

-57.14%

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

$25.20 ZWL 672

$17.53 ZWL 468

43.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

$92.1 ZWL 2,456

-25.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ZWL 1,603

$54.1 ZWL 1,442

11.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 ZWL 394

$14.23 ZWL 380

3.72%

Cinema Ticket

$19.87 ZWL 530

$10.11 ZWL 270

96.54%

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

$101 ZWL 2,682

$277 ZWL 7,384

-63.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,015 ZWL 160.5K

$7,215 ZWL 192.5K

-16.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.13 ZWL 404

$19.55 ZWL 522

-22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.40 ZWL 678

$21.55 ZWL 575

17.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ZWL 1,625

$35.11 ZWL 937

73.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.44 ZWL 1,186

$40.98 ZWL 1,093

8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ZWL 6,618

$398 ZWL 10.6K

-37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ZWL 4,811

$279 ZWL 7,436

-35.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 ZWL 13.2K

$954 ZWL 25.5K

-48.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ZWL 9,336

$695 ZWL 18.5K

-49.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 ZWL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$797 ZWL 21.3K

$400 ZWL 10.7K

99.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

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

Last update for Victoria Falls: July 12, 2026

Last update for Harare: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $248 in Victoria Falls and $398 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Victoria Falls pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Victoria Falls vs $49.00 in Harare. Groceries flip the comparison at $248 vs $217, with Harare cheaper for home cooking.

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 Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 99% 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: $248 in Victoria Falls versus $398 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 $900 per month in Victoria Falls versus $990 in Harare – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $900 in Victoria Falls versus $990 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 10% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.