"Zim is Expensive!": Man Compares Zimbabwe's Borrowdale vs Cape Town Property Prices in TikTok Video

• A Zimbabwean man based in Australia compared property prices in Harare's Borrowdale suburb to homes in Cape Town, showing stark differences
• Several homes with similar features were stacked against each other, with South Africa offering far more value
• Viewers from across Southern Africa joined the debate, arguing over land size, exchange rates, and government service delivery

A Zimbabwean man living in Australia sparked a wide online debate after posting a TikTok video comparing property prices between Zimbabwe and South Africa, arguing that buyers in Zimbabwe are getting far less value for their money.

The creator, known as @maadebykb on TikTok, shared the video on 9 July 2026. Using screen-recorded research from property listing websites, he walked viewers through specific examples: an R8 million home in Borrowdale, Harare, and a four-bedroom property in the same suburb, compared against a six-bedroom luxury home with a pool in Fernwood, Somerset West, Cape Town,

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Why are Zimbabwe's property prices high?

He concluded that South African buyers get significantly more house for a comparable or lower price. The creator was clear that he was not trying to pit the two countries against each other. As a member of the diaspora looking to invest back home, he explained the reasons behind Zimbabwe's high property prices. Newzwire also reported that the cost of building materials like cement and bricks, combined with poor municipal service delivery, forces homeowners to build their own utilities and drives up property values. The country's reliance on the US dollar rather than a local currency, he argued, makes the market even less competitive. Watch the full property comparison on TikTok below:

South Africa vs Zimbabwe property prices stun

The video drew thousands of responses from Zimbabweans, South Africans, and others across the diaspora. The comment section turned into a full debate:

@Taps pushed back, writing:

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"This is such a biased comparison. Borrowdale is the most expensive land in Zim, and that house in Borrowdale is on 5000m2. All I see in the SA house is nice finishings and aesthetics. Houses in SA are cheaper, but the land is very expensive."

The creator responded, noting:

"Sandton not really my market, need something on the coast. Coming from Australia, Sandton ain't all that amusing nor expensive."

@quuenmama1 agreed with the video, saying:

"Zim is expensive bro! I had to rent for a few years there as an expatriate, and it was crazy expensive to rent and live there."

@gigichuks added:

"Definitely cheaper to buy a house in South Africa in a gated community with a golf course than Zim, sometimes I just want to sell my Aussie home and do just that because I'd live comfortably for a few years."

@tapioca pudding summed it up differently:

"Houses are cheaper in South Africa because they are not for investment but for living."

Other Briefly News stories about Zimbabwe and SA

• South African TikTok creator Alice documented her daily life in Harare, Zimbabwe, and provided an aesthetic glimpse into high-end Zimbabwean expat life.
• A South African woman's journey to Zimbabwe for a family wedding was documented in a heartwarming TikTok video.
• A Zimbabwean family's difficult decision to sell their belongings, including their car and furniture, as they prepared to leave South Africa.

Source: Briefly News