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: $494 in Zimbabwe versus $453 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $821 in Zimbabwe versus $729 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,148 in Zimbabwe versus $1,004 in Egypt.

Living in Zimbabwe is roughly 9% more expensive than in Egypt on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Zimbabwe 63% lower, Egypt 66% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.82 ZWL 183
$4.01 E£206
70.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.7 ZWL 1,358
$19.78 E£1,014
156.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.08 ZWL 163
$5.00 E£256
21.60%
Cappuccino
$2.71 ZWL 72.8
$1.41 E£72.1
92.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ZWL 18.40
$0.35 E£17.99
97.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ZWL 13.05
$0.12 E£6.08
308.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.46 ZWL 39.22
$1.34 E£68.6
8.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 ZWL 54.1
$2.87 E£147
-29.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 ZWL 41.04
$0.84 E£43.13
82.14%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 ZWL 26.01
$0.58 E£29.78
67.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 ZWL 51.0
$0.66 E£33.63
187.88%
Eggs
$2.13 ZWL 57.2
$1.50 E£77.0
42.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.25 ZWL 275
$3.18 E£163
222.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.70 ZWL 153
$4.22 E£216
35.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.89 ZWL 158
$8.42 E£431
-30.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 ZWL 72.5
$1.53 E£78.6
76.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 ZWL 46.63
$0.57 E£28.97
205.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 ZWL 55.4
$0.47 E£24.09
340.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.62 ZWL 43.44
$0.41 E£20.84
295.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 ZWL 42.62
$0.47 E£24.25
238.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.76 ZWL 47.16
$0.42 E£21.29
319.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 ZWL 28.30
$0.24 E£12.30
341.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 ZWL 28.10
$0.20 E£10.14
425.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36 ZWL 36.55
$1.95 E£100.0
-30.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.07 ZWL 189
$6.75 E£346
4.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 ZWL 31.42
$1.32 E£67.4
-11.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 ZWL 48.12
$1.86 E£95.1
-3.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 ZWL 27.47
$0.27 E£13.70
277.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.69 ZWL 796
$6.00 E£308
394.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.09 ZWL 136
$0.42 E£21.47
1111.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 ZWL 54.9
$0.31 E£15.93
561.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.95 ZWL 133
$1.26 E£64.6
292.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 ZWL 41.68
$0.31 E£15.70
403.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.2K ZWL 622.2K
$34.7K E£1.8M
-33.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K ZWL 641.3K
$31.8K E£1.6M
-24.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$53.5 ZWL 1,433
$21.16 E£1,084
152.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.77 ZWL 476
$6.95 E£356
155.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$90.8 ZWL 2,433
$11.84 E£607
666.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.21 ZWL 1,265
$14.61 E£749
223.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.90 ZWL 292
$6.61 E£339
64.90%
Cinema Ticket
$9.99 ZWL 268
$2.91 E£149
243.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 ZWL 5,992
$85.1 E£4,360
162.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,072 ZWL 216.3K
$1,943 E£99.6K
315.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.97 ZWL 508
$25.85 E£1,325
-26.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.47 ZWL 522
$44.55 E£2,283
-56.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$37.68 ZWL 1,010
$107 E£5,488
-64.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.72 ZWL 1,118
$50.8 E£2,602
-17.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$332 ZWL 8,907
$162 E£8,313
104.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$225 ZWL 6,035
$101 E£5,174
123.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$807 ZWL 21.6K
$324 E£16.6K
149.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$541 ZWL 14.5K
$194 E£9,917
179.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$926 ZWL 24.8K
$756 E£38.8K
22.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$401 ZWL 10.7K
$455 E£23.3K
-11.86%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ZWL 9,152
$150 E£7,691
127.55%
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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Egypt: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $105 in Zimbabwe, $182 in Egypt. Capital cities: $400 in Harare vs $204 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $354 in Zimbabwe, $139 in Egypt. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 73% higher in Egypt.

Dining out costs 100% more in Zimbabwe.

Public transport is 300% more expensive in Zimbabwe.

Salaries are 155% higher in Zimbabwe, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Zimbabwe.

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 $503 per month in Egypt and $507 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Egypt: 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 Zimbabwe is consistently higher than in Egypt across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or in Zimbabwe?
In Egypt, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Zimbabwe it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Egypt or to Zimbabwe?
It depends on what you're after: Egypt wins on affordability; Zimbabwe may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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