Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and ItalyCost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and Italy
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $487 in Zimbabwe versus $1,782 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $803 in Zimbabwe versus $2,722 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,119 in Zimbabwe versus $3,662 in Italy.
🌍Living in Zimbabwe costs about 73% less than in Italy on average.
📊Zimbabwe (64% below) and Italy (30% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.51ZWL 174
$21.07€18.36
-69.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.17ZWL 1,023
$81.0€70.7
-52.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.17ZWL 165
$11.50€10.02
-46.35%
Cappuccino
$2.63ZWL 70.6
$2.10€1.83
25.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73ZWL 19.65
$3.07€2.67
-76.22%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52ZWL 13.98
$1.44€1.25
-63.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.49ZWL 39.83
$5.86€5.11
-74.57%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05ZWL 54.9
$5.72€4.99
-64.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.51ZWL 40.45
$1.59€1.39
-5.03%
White Bread(500g)
$0.98ZWL 26.13
$2.41€2.10
-59.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.50ZWL 40.15
$2.99€2.61
-49.83%
Eggs
$1.89ZWL 50.5
$4.34€3.78
-56.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.05ZWL 269
$17.62€15.36
-42.96%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.82ZWL 129
$12.69€11.06
-62.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.86ZWL 157
$20.80€18.13
-71.83%
Apples(1kg)
$2.77ZWL 74.1
$2.61€2.28
6.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.71ZWL 45.70
$2.14€1.87
-20.09%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.98ZWL 53.0
$2.79€2.43
-29.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37ZWL 36.81
$3.37€2.94
-59.35%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56ZWL 41.69
$2.04€1.78
-23.53%
Onion(1kg)
$1.60ZWL 42.77
$1.96€1.71
-18.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.16ZWL 30.99
$1.56€1.36
-25.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07ZWL 28.56
$0.53€0.46
101.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.01ZWL 54.0
$6.84€5.96
-70.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.15ZWL 191
$7.71€6.72
-7.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30ZWL 34.84
$1.86€1.62
-30.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96ZWL 52.6
$2.49€2.17
-21.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.97ZWL 26.12
$1.91€1.67
-49.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.40ZWL 1,216
$44.16€38.49
2.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.97ZWL 79.6
$5.87€5.12
-49.40%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.06ZWL 55.1
$1.70€1.49
21.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.06ZWL 136
$35.16€30.65
-85.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.76ZWL 47.20
$2.11€1.84
-16.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5KZWL 657.6K
$36.9K€32.2K
-33.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3KZWL 732.3K
$36.5K€31.8K
-25.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$52.9ZWL 1,418
$229€200
-76.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.34ZWL 491
$12.09€10.54
51.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.4ZWL 1,807
$31.57€27.52
113.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.60ZWL 1,141
$54.1€47.18
-21.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.14ZWL 540
$24.51€21.37
-17.83%
Cinema Ticket
$9.88ZWL 265
$10.78€9.40
-8.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$329ZWL 8,821
$562€490
-41.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,311ZWL 222.7K
$12.2K€10.7K
-32.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.78ZWL 530
$94.3€82.2
-79.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$18.25ZWL 489
$40.72€35.50
-55.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$40.70ZWL 1,090
$104€90.7
-60.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$43.94ZWL 1,177
$136€119
-67.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$288ZWL 7,726
$832€725
-65.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$230ZWL 6,159
$646€564
-64.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$634ZWL 17.0K
$1,450€1,264
-56.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$519ZWL 13.9K
$1,081€942
-52.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$916ZWL 24.5K
$3,816€3,326
-75.99%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$395ZWL 10.6K
$2,312€2,015
-82.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$359ZWL 9,619
$1,954€1,703
-81.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.77
3.57
285.71%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Zimbabwe: September 14, 2026
Last update for Italy: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $102 in Zimbabwe, $748 in Italy. Capital cities: $401 in Harare vs $1,238 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $361 in Zimbabwe, $1,958 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 633% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 178% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 367% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 442% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Zimbabwe?
At $1,913 per month in Italy and $528 in Zimbabwe, there's a 262% 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 Zimbabwe: 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 Italy is consistently higher than in 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 Italy or in Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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 Italy or to Zimbabwe?
It depends on what you're after: Zimbabwe wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.