Nando’s is a familiar fast-food brand on both sides of the Limpopo, but how much do customers pay for the same meal in Zimbabwe and South Africa?

A comparison of the latest online menus shows that the price can differ significantly depending on which side of the border you are buying from.

Nando’s quarter chicken meal

In Zimbabwe, Nando’s lists its quarter chicken with a single side at US$5.

The meal includes flame-grilled quarter chicken and a single side of the customer’s choice.

In South Africa, the same quarter chicken with any single side is listed at R72 on Nando’s online menu.

Using an exchange rate of approximately R16.12 to US$1 on 1 September 2026, the South African price converts to about US$4.47.

That means the Zimbabwe price of US$5 is roughly 53 US cents more expensive, or about 12% higher, than the South African price after conversion.

Nando’s mealZimbabweSouth AfricaApprox. differenceQuarter chicken + single sideUS$5R72 (≈ US$4.47)Zimbabwe ≈ 12% higherQuarter chicken + chips + rollUS$5.50R84 (≈ US$5.21)Zimbabwe ≈ 6% higherHalf chicken + single sideUS$9R125 (≈ US$7.75)Zimbabwe ≈ 16% higher

The Zimbabwe menu lists the quarter chicken, single-side option at US$5, the quarter chicken with chips and a Nando’s roll at US$5.50, and half chicken with a single side at US$9.

South Africa’s menu lists the equivalent meals at R72, R84 and R125 respectively.

Zimbabweans pay more for the same chicken

The comparison shows that, at the exchange rate used for this calculation, Nando’s customers in Zimbabwe pay more for these equivalent meals than customers in South Africa.

The biggest difference among the three comparisons is the half-chicken meal.

At US$9 in Zimbabwe, it costs about US$1.25 more than the South African equivalent after converting R125 into US dollars.

The difference, however, does not necessarily mean that Nando’s is simply “more expensive” in Zimbabwe.

Prices can reflect factors including operating costs, taxes, rent, supply chains, labour and the cost of importing certain ingredients.

For Zimbabwean consumers who regularly travel to South Africa or compare prices across the border, however, the figures provide an interesting snapshot of what the same international food chain costs in the two neighbouring markets.

Prices are based on the Nando’s Zimbabwe and Nando’s South Africa online menus checked on September 1, 2026. South African prices have been converted into US dollars using an exchange rate of approximately R16.12 to US$1. Prices may vary by restaurant, location, promotions and ordering platform.