Top 5 African cities where eating out is very expensive

The cost of dining out in restaurants has a prevalent influence on social and economic dynamics in many African cities.

• Business Insider Africa presents the top 5 African cities where eating out is very expensive.
• This list is courtesy of Numbeo.
• Harare, Zimbabwe ranks number 1 on the list.

For most individuals, eating out is a luxury rather than an alternative when the restaurant index is high.

The social advantages of dining out are limited in many African cities where a large percentage of the population makes modest earnings.

Additionally, this limits low-income earners, students, and busy professionals’ access to quick and inexpensive meals.

People eat out less frequently when restaurant costs are excessively high, which lowers demand for restaurant services, which dampens an essential part of any economy’s hospitality industry.

Futhermore, when restaurant experiences are financially out of reach for many, public spaces meant for community interaction become segregated, reducing opportunities for people from different socioeconomic backgrounds to connect.

DON’T MISS THIS: 5 major African cities where most residents can’t afford housing in 2025

Expensive restaurant rates are very likely to inhibit food entrepreneurs from experimenting with new and different ideas.

Rather than supporting a dynamic culinary scene with a variety of traditional African foods, street food, and foreign alternatives, a high-cost environment leads to a market dominated by unaffordable dining.

With that said, here are the major cities in Africa where eating out is very expensive, as per data from Numbeo.

Top 5 African cities where eating out is expensive