Reference Value Report: Living Wage Report and 2024 Update for Rural Zimbabwe

This report provides an updated Anker Living Wage Reference Value for rural Zimbabwe for the year 2024. This was USD 247 for 2022 in the original report2 , comprised of a Net Living Wage of USD 208, plus a social security and income tax contribution of USD 39. Due to Zimbabwe’s high economic instability and the significant depreciation of its former currency, the Zimbabwean dollar (ZWL), in 2023 the USD value of the Living Wage remained unchanged from its original value in 2022. In April 2024, the Zimbabwean government introduced a new currency, the Zimbabwean Gold (ZWG) , in an effort to stabilize prices. However, given the recent implamentation of this currency, and the predominant use of the US dollar, this reports continues to update the Living Wage Reference Value in US dollars. Zimbabwe’s National Statistics Agency publishes monthly a USD Consumer Price Index (2022=100) to track changes in consumer prices in the country measured in US dollars. We use this CPI index to update the net living wage from June 2023 to June 2024; inflation during this period was 3.8%.4 The updated Anker Gross Living Wage for 2024 is USD 259 per month, comprised of a Net living Wage of USD 216, plus USD 43 in mandatory pay deductions: a contribution to the National Social Security Scheme (4.5%) and income tax (20%). Mandatory deductions were calculated using the most up-to date tax law.