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