Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and Egypt Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and Egypt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $489 in Zimbabwe versus $453 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $817 in Zimbabwe versus $729 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,145 in Zimbabwe versus $1,005 in Egypt.

Living in Zimbabwe is roughly 8% more expensive than Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Zimbabwe 64% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.15 ZWL 191
$4.03 E£208
77.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.0 ZWL 1,340
$19.90 E£1,028
151.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.18 ZWL 166
$5.08 E£263
21.65%
Cappuccino
$2.78 ZWL 74.5
$1.45 E£74.8
91.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ZWL 19.41
$0.35 E£18.21
105.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 ZWL 12.08
$0.14 E£7.18
221.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.53 ZWL 40.87
$1.42 E£73.2
7.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ZWL 55.0
$2.90 E£150
-29.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 ZWL 41.40
$0.91 E£46.95
70.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 ZWL 26.04
$0.62 E£32.18
56.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.81 ZWL 48.60
$0.67 E£34.47
170.15%
Eggs
$2.16 ZWL 57.9
$1.51 E£77.9
43.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.37 ZWL 278
$3.13 E£162
231.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.77 ZWL 154
$4.34 E£225
32.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.86 ZWL 157
$8.74 E£452
-32.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 ZWL 70.2
$1.53 E£78.9
71.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 ZWL 48.21
$0.56 E£29.17
221.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.13 ZWL 57.1
$0.44 E£22.73
384.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ZWL 42.62
$0.40 E£20.93
297.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ZWL 42.67
$0.44 E£22.74
261.36%
Onion (1kg)
$1.84 ZWL 49.21
$0.44 E£22.95
318.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 ZWL 27.97
$0.24 E£12.40
333.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 ZWL 28.70
$0.21 E£11.03
409.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36 ZWL 36.53
$1.92 E£99.0
-29.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.86 ZWL 184
$6.82 E£352
0.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 ZWL 31.38
$1.27 E£65.8
-7.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ZWL 47.86
$1.85 E£95.8
-3.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 ZWL 26.48
$0.27 E£13.75
266.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.96 ZWL 803
$5.94 E£307
404.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.92 ZWL 132
$0.38 E£19.65
1194.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.06 ZWL 55.1
$0.29 E£14.79
610.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.14 ZWL 138
$1.30 E£67.0
295.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.62 ZWL 43.41
$0.31 E£15.89
422.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7K ZWL 635.9K
$34.3K E£1.8M
-30.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K ZWL 650.7K
$31.6K E£1.6M
-23.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$53.9 ZWL 1,445
$21.84 E£1,128
146.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.47 ZWL 468
$7.09 E£366
146.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$89.7 ZWL 2,402
$11.91 E£615
652.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.55 ZWL 1,274
$14.50 E£749
227.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.72 ZWL 287
$6.81 E£352
57.42%
Cinema Ticket
$9.99 ZWL 268
$2.93 E£151
240.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 ZWL 5,952
$87.8 E£4,534
153.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,138 ZWL 218.0K
$1,934 E£99.9K
320.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.67 ZWL 500
$26.08 E£1,348
-28.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.11 ZWL 512
$43.77 E£2,261
-56.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$36.68 ZWL 983
$109 E£5,613
-66.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.38 ZWL 1,135
$51.8 E£2,677
-18.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$336 ZWL 9,000
$163 E£8,413
106.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$224 ZWL 6,004
$101 E£5,224
121.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$818 ZWL 21.9K
$320 E£16.6K
155.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$535 ZWL 14.3K
$188 E£9,705
185.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$857 ZWL 23.0K
$741 E£38.3K
15.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$383 ZWL 10.3K
$453 E£23.4K
-15.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$344 ZWL 9,212
$148 E£7,623
133.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.5
16.38
-17.58%

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

Last update for Zimbabwe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Egypt: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $105 in Zimbabwe, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $403 in Harare vs $205 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $356 in Zimbabwe, $145 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 74% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 100% more in Zimbabwe.

Public transport is 350% more expensive in Zimbabwe.

Salaries are 146% higher in Zimbabwe, giving Zimbabwe stronger purchasing power.

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
Zimbabwe vs Egypt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Egypt and Zimbabwe?
At $500 per month in Egypt and $496 in Zimbabwe, there's a 1% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Zimbabwe is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Egypt beats Zimbabwe across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $800 a realistic budget in Egypt or Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe, $800 covers most cities easily. In Egypt, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or Zimbabwe?
It depends on what you're after. Zimbabwe wins on affordability; Egypt may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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