Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $491 in Zimbabwe versus $1,718 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $821 in Zimbabwe versus $2,621 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,151 in Zimbabwe versus $3,524 in Italy.

Living in Zimbabwe costs about 71% less than in Italy on average.

Zimbabwe (63% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.10 ZWL 190
$17.58 €15.38
-59.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.9 ZWL 1,359
$82.5 €72.1
-38.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.06 ZWL 162
$11.72 €10.25
-48.29%
Cappuccino
$2.69 ZWL 71.7
$1.92 €1.68
40.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ZWL 19.36
$2.99 €2.62
-75.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ZWL 12.99
$1.36 €1.19
-63.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.47 ZWL 39.29
$5.76 €5.04
-74.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 ZWL 52.4
$5.22 €4.57
-62.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 ZWL 42.02
$1.69 €1.48
-7.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 ZWL 27.38
$2.33 €2.04
-55.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 ZWL 48.77
$3.05 €2.67
-40.00%
Eggs
$2.05 ZWL 54.8
$3.99 €3.49
-48.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 ZWL 272
$16.68 €14.59
-38.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.51 ZWL 147
$12.57 €11.00
-56.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.84 ZWL 156
$20.53 €17.96
-71.55%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ZWL 70.6
$2.56 €2.24
3.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ZWL 45.84
$2.20 €1.93
-21.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 ZWL 55.1
$2.68 €2.34
-22.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ZWL 42.97
$3.37 €2.95
-52.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 ZWL 41.64
$2.04 €1.78
-23.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 ZWL 48.15
$1.88 €1.65
-4.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 ZWL 29.02
$1.47 €1.29
-25.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 ZWL 28.74
$0.54 €0.47
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.38 ZWL 36.83
$7.00 €6.12
-80.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.84 ZWL 182
$7.09 €6.20
-3.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 ZWL 30.56
$1.80 €1.58
-36.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79 ZWL 47.65
$2.51 €2.19
-28.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 ZWL 27.00
$1.96 €1.71
-48.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.60 ZWL 790
$41.58 €36.38
-28.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.14 ZWL 137
$5.80 €5.08
-11.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.02 ZWL 53.8
$1.60 €1.40
26.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.13 ZWL 137
$35.07 €30.68
-85.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.62 ZWL 43.12
$2.13 €1.86
-23.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.1K ZWL 616.7K
$32.6K €28.5K
-29.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K ZWL 650.7K
$33.8K €29.6K
-27.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$53.8 ZWL 1,435
$225 €197
-76.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.22 ZWL 459
$13.14 €11.50
31.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$90.0 ZWL 2,401
$31.19 €27.29
188.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.26 ZWL 1,261
$57.2 €50.0
-17.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.08 ZWL 295
$25.85 €22.61
-57.14%
Cinema Ticket
$10.13 ZWL 270
$10.34 €9.05
-2.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$225 ZWL 5,995
$564 €493
-60.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,093 ZWL 215.9K
$10.3K €9,047
-21.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.09 ZWL 509
$91.9 €80.4
-79.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.59 ZWL 523
$40.54 €35.47
-51.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$37.25 ZWL 994
$98.2 €85.9
-62.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.76 ZWL 1,114
$132 €116
-68.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$332 ZWL 8,862
$855 €748
-61.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$229 ZWL 6,115
$663 €580
-65.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$810 ZWL 21.6K
$1,522 €1,332
-46.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$546 ZWL 14.6K
$1,089 €953
-49.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$936 ZWL 25.0K
$3,747 €3,278
-75.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$395 ZWL 10.5K
$2,299 €2,011
-82.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$341 ZWL 9,090
$1,897 €1,659
-82.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.5
4.41
206.12%

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

Last update for Zimbabwe: July 12, 2026

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $105 in Zimbabwe, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $398 in Harare vs $1,328 in Rome.

National salary averages: $355 in Zimbabwe, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 607% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 131% more in Italy.

Public transport is 450% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 439% 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 $1,822 per month in Italy and $495 in Zimbabwe, there's a 268% 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 $800 a realistic budget in Italy or in Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe, $800 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.

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