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: $491 in Zimbabwe versus $452 in Egypt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $820 in Zimbabwe versus $726 in Egypt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,148 in Zimbabwe versus $1,000 in Egypt.

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

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

Internal cost variation is higher in Zimbabwe: monthly costs span $0 to $1,003, compared to $314$703 in Egypt. City choice carries more weight in Zimbabwe.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.15 ZWL 180
$4.05 E£210
76.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.47 ZWL 1,247
$19.98 E£1,039
147.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.05 ZWL 153
$4.86 E£253
24.49%
Cappuccino
$2.66 ZWL 67.1
$1.45 E£75.3
83.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 ZWL 18.10
$0.35 E£18.28
105.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ZWL 11.54
$0.12 E£6.48
283.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.52 ZWL 38.19
$1.40 E£73.0
8.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 ZWL 51.5
$2.98 E£155
-31.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.60 ZWL 40.27
$0.91 E£47.31
75.82%
White Bread (500g)
$0.98 ZWL 24.73
$0.62 E£32.16
58.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 ZWL 46.49
$0.66 E£34.56
178.79%
Eggs
$2.08 ZWL 52.5
$1.46 E£75.8
42.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.14 ZWL 256
$3.24 E£168
212.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.80 ZWL 146
$4.23 E£220
37.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.68 ZWL 143
$8.55 E£444
-33.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 ZWL 68.7
$1.52 E£79.3
79.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.82 ZWL 45.85
$0.56 E£29.17
225.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 ZWL 52.6
$0.47 E£24.70
344.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.60 ZWL 40.20
$0.38 E£19.50
321.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 ZWL 39.39
$0.45 E£23.24
246.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 ZWL 44.48
$0.41 E£21.46
331.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ZWL 27.57
$0.22 E£11.39
395.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 ZWL 27.32
$0.20 E£10.54
440.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.31 ZWL 33.01
$1.94 E£101
-32.47%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.10 ZWL 179
$6.70 E£348
5.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13 ZWL 28.42
$1.31 E£68.2
-13.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ZWL 43.42
$1.96 E£102
-12.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 ZWL 24.91
$0.27 E£14.00
266.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.39 ZWL 766
$5.99 E£312
407.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.11 ZWL 129
$0.42 E£21.76
1116.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 ZWL 49.50
$0.29 E£14.89
575.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.89 ZWL 123
$1.24 E£64.7
294.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.57 ZWL 39.55
$0.33 E£17.36
375.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K ZWL 592.2K
$34.3K E£1.8M
-31.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K ZWL 617.6K
$31.2K E£1.6M
-21.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$53.7 ZWL 1,353
$21.22 E£1,103
152.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.56 ZWL 443
$6.97 E£363
151.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.7 ZWL 2,310
$11.72 E£610
682.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.57 ZWL 1,199
$14.86 E£773
220.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.72 ZWL 270
$6.87 E£357
56.04%
Cinema Ticket
$9.98 ZWL 252
$2.88 E£150
246.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 ZWL 5,641
$85.8 E£4,464
160.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,307 ZWL 209.3K
$1,911 E£99.3K
334.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.71 ZWL 471
$25.73 E£1,338
-27.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.94 ZWL 477
$44.59 E£2,318
-57.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$37.32 ZWL 940
$108 E£5,612
-65.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.39 ZWL 1,043
$51.8 E£2,695
-20.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$330 ZWL 8,307
$162 E£8,431
103.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$224 ZWL 5,634
$99.6 E£5,178
124.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$808 ZWL 20.4K
$320 E£16.7K
152.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$545 ZWL 13.7K
$194 E£10.1K
180.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$847 ZWL 21.3K
$739 E£38.4K
14.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$397 ZWL 10.0K
$445 E£23.2K
-10.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zimbabwe
Egypt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ZWL 8,585
$139 E£7,207
145.82%
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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Egypt: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $105 in Zimbabwe, $183 in Egypt. Capital cities: $398 in Harare vs $208 in Cairo.

National salary averages: $357 in Zimbabwe, $141 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 300% more expensive in Zimbabwe.

Salaries are 153% 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 $509 per month in Egypt and $502 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 $1,000 a realistic budget in Egypt or Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe, $1,000 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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