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: $489 in Zimbabwe versus $1,717 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $817 in Zimbabwe versus $2,624 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,145 in Zimbabwe versus $3,530 in Italy.
🙂Living in Zimbabwe costs about 72% less than in Italy on average.
📊Zimbabwe (64% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.15ZWL 192
$17.44€15.00
-59.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.0ZWL 1,343
$79.5€68.4
-37.06%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.18ZWL 166
$11.76€10.11
-47.45%
Cappuccino
$2.78ZWL 74.7
$2.00€1.72
39.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72ZWL 19.45
$3.00€2.58
-76.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45ZWL 12.11
$1.35€1.16
-66.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.53ZWL 40.96
$5.94€5.11
-74.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05ZWL 55.1
$5.36€4.61
-61.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55ZWL 41.50
$1.64€1.41
-5.49%
White Bread(500g)
$0.97ZWL 26.10
$2.41€2.07
-59.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.81ZWL 48.71
$2.99€2.58
-39.46%
Eggs
$2.16ZWL 58.0
$3.96€3.41
-45.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.37ZWL 278
$16.84€14.49
-38.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.77ZWL 155
$12.43€10.69
-53.58%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.86ZWL 157
$20.29€17.46
-71.12%
Apples(1kg)
$2.62ZWL 70.4
$2.47€2.13
6.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.80ZWL 48.32
$2.15€1.85
-16.28%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.13ZWL 57.2
$2.65€2.28
-19.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59ZWL 42.71
$3.40€2.92
-53.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59ZWL 42.77
$1.92€1.65
-17.19%
Onion(1kg)
$1.84ZWL 49.32
$1.81€1.56
1.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.04ZWL 28.03
$1.55€1.33
-32.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07ZWL 28.77
$0.54€0.46
98.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.36ZWL 36.61
$6.79€5.84
-79.97%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.86ZWL 184
$7.18€6.18
-4.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17ZWL 31.45
$1.80€1.55
-35.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79ZWL 47.96
$2.42€2.08
-26.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.99ZWL 26.54
$2.00€1.72
-50.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.96ZWL 804
$42.35€36.43
-29.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.92ZWL 132
$5.94€5.11
-17.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.06ZWL 55.2
$1.51€1.30
36.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.14ZWL 138
$34.04€29.28
-84.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.62ZWL 43.51
$2.05€1.76
-20.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7KZWL 637.3K
$32.8K€28.2K
-27.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3KZWL 652.1K
$33.7K€29.0K
-27.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$53.9ZWL 1,448
$225€194
-76.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.47ZWL 469
$13.25€11.40
31.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$89.7ZWL 2,407
$30.95€26.62
189.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.55ZWL 1,277
$55.7€47.95
-14.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.72ZWL 288
$25.15€21.63
-57.38%
Cinema Ticket
$9.99ZWL 268
$10.25€8.82
-2.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$222ZWL 5,966
$576€495
-61.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,138ZWL 218.5K
$10.5K€8,998
-22.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.67ZWL 501
$91.8€79.0
-79.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.11ZWL 513
$40.72€35.03
-53.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$36.68ZWL 985
$98.0€84.3
-62.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.38ZWL 1,138
$131€112
-67.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$336ZWL 9,020
$860€740
-60.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$224ZWL 6,017
$667€573
-66.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$818ZWL 22.0K
$1,475€1,269
-44.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$535ZWL 14.4K
$1,087€935
-50.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$857ZWL 23.0K
$3,850€3,312
-77.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$383ZWL 10.3K
$2,359€2,029
-83.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Zimbabwe
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$344ZWL 9,233
$1,933€1,663
-82.21%
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: June 1, 2026
Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $105 in Zimbabwe, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $403 in Harare vs $1,325 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $356 in Zimbabwe, $1,949 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 608% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 131% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 389% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 447% higher in Italy, giving Italy 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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Zimbabwe?
At $1,839 per month in Italy and $496 in Zimbabwe, there's a 271% 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 Italy 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 $800 a realistic budget in Italy or Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe, $800 covers most cities easily. In Italy, 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 Italy or 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.