Compared to a national average for the basic requirements for a family of five of $466.85 per month, the figure for Matabeleland North was $507.53 as of December 2010. This is seven percent higher than second-placed Bulawayo where a
family needs on average $476.15 in a month to meet the cost of transport, rent, water and electricity, health, education, clothing and footwear.
The third most expensive province is Masvingo at $473.57 a month, followed by Harare and Manicaland where the average monthly consumer basket stood at $455.41 and $452.29, respectively. Mashonaland Central is the cheapest province in Zimbabwe, with a standard household requiring just $430.48 to pay for utilities, healthcare, education and food.
Zimbabwes inflation rate has fallen since the coalition government adopted economic stabilisation measures last year that saw the southern African country discarding the weak Zimbabwe dollars and adopting the South African Rand, US dollar and British pound sterling as legal tender.
Post published in: Manufacturing