Cost of Living in Zimbabwe

RESTAURANTS

Though you can always find some fancy expensive restaurants, eating out in Zimbabwe is not expensive, especially not for a tourist coming from the West.

A good meal in a restaurant costs about 10$-15$ which is about half of what it costs in the USA.

You can always eat street food and that will cost you even less than a decent meal in an inexpensive restaurant (which is somewhere around 6.0$).

MARKETS

As for prices, non-imported things are very cheap – but beware: for an average tourist who likes Western products, prices are usually not that much lower than in South Africa.

However, generally, the cost of everyday groceries is reasonable, that is, cheaper than eating in restaurants, so tourists living in Zimbabwe who opt to cook at home will save a considerable amount of money.

TRANSPORTATION

Minibus taxis are available for those interested in traveling in between cities in Zimbabwe and are relatively inexpensive by European standards.

They are cheap, but not necessarily safe.

You can also catch buses that run between the cities, but they are in bad conditions even by African standards, though they are rather cheap.

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

If we’re speaking about Zimbabwe in general, paying bills in this country isn’t overly expensive.

Taking into consideration basic monthly utilities like electricity, water, heating, and cooling, it all amounts to around 62.82$ a month, which is affordable for a normal-sized apartment of about 85m2.

Monthly internet is very expensive in comparison to that costing almost 99.38$.

SPORTS & LEISURE

If you want to spend some quality time having fun in Zimbabwe or indulging in sports activities, you’ll need to pay up.

Namely, these activities are more expensive in Zimbabwe, especially renting out a tennis court per hour.

Tickets for cinema, however, are less expensive than in many other countries, for instance.

CLOTHING & SHOES

Prices of clothes have increased tremendously over the years and, nowadays, they cost about the same as in the USA.

One pair of jeans costs around 20$, which is less than in Europe, while quality sneakers are around 40$.

You can fill up your shopping basket with light pieces of clothing in chain stores like Zara or Bershka for 20$ a piece.

RENT PER MONTH

Renting out an apartment in Zimbabwe isn’t cheap, whether it’s in the suburbs or the city center.

Of course, you can pay less if you rent an apartment in a city that isn’t large or a tourist destination, but altogether it’s not a small investment.

An apartment for one, or possibly two people can cost around 300$ while a bigger apartment for a family can cost twice as much.

HEALTHCARE

Zimbabwe spends relatively little per person on healthcare, often under 200 USD annually, and a large share of services are paid directly by patients due to limited public funding.

Private insurance is rare and usually costly relative to income, with premiums varying widely.

Out-of-pocket expenses average a few hundred USD per year for consultations, medications, and hospital care, which is a large burden given average monthly salaries of 100 to 150 USD.

Healthcare costs often represent a significant financial challenge for many households.

EDUCATION

Public primary and secondary education is nominally free, but schools often charge fees along with uniforms, books, and supplies; private schools charge higher tuition.

Public universities charge tuition significantly relative to local incomes, and private universities charge higher fees.

Students also pay for housing, food, transport, and textbooks.

Education costs represent a large share of household expenses.