Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Gweru Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Gweru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in Bulawayo vs $600 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,064 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,674 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,528 in Gweru, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 26% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 45% lower, Gweru 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ZWL 122

$3.71 ZWL 98.7

23.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.27 ZWL 807

$39.57 ZWL 1,055

-23.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ZWL 132

$6.13 ZWL 163

-19.41%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

$2.86 ZWL 76.3

-27.27%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZWL 13.72

$0.49 ZWL 12.96

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ZWL 9.85

$0.38 ZWL 10.22

-2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.74

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

19.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$1.74 ZWL 46.24

13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ZWL 44.89

$1.47 ZWL 39.09

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.01

$1.03 ZWL 27.40

-1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 ZWL 42.45

$1.70 ZWL 45.30

-6.47%

Eggs

$1.81 ZWL 48.36

$1.93 ZWL 51.4

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ZWL 261

$11.92 ZWL 318

-17.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 ZWL 107

$3.87 ZWL 103

4.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZWL 122

$5.35 ZWL 142

-14.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ZWL 50.2

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.05

$1.63 ZWL 43.40

-5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 ZWL 67.5

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

29.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.18

$0.97 ZWL 25.88

5.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ZWL 33.67

$1.64 ZWL 43.73

-23.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.39

$0.97 ZWL 25.98

48.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ZWL 30.37

$1.20 ZWL 32.06

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.08

$1.01 ZWL 26.95

-21.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 40.98

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

-21.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.09 ZWL 136

$8.85 ZWL 236

-42.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ZWL 35.85

$1.38 ZWL 36.65

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 51.6

$2.03 ZWL 54.0

-4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ZWL 20.60

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

48.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.67 ZWL 791

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

$3.97 ZWL 106

-23.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$0.86 ZWL 22.79

136.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$4.89 ZWL 130

3.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 ZWL 44.58

$1.67 ZWL 44.45

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.8K ZWL 661.7K

$21.8K ZWL 580.0K

14.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.6K ZWL 656.2K

$27.1K ZWL 721.4K

-9.04%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.2 ZWL 2,564

$29.78 ZWL 794

223.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.40 ZWL 464

$17.05 ZWL 454

2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 ZWL 2,824

$65.8 ZWL 1,754

61.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.55 ZWL 841

$39.36 ZWL 1,049

-19.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.38 ZWL 543

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

939.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 ZWL 266

$9.89 ZWL 263

0.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$229 ZWL 6,103

$250 ZWL 6,660

-8.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,449 ZWL 91.9K

$5,889 ZWL 156.9K

-41.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.67 ZWL 578

$24.18 ZWL 644

-10.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.81 ZWL 315

$20.27 ZWL 540

-41.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.53 ZWL 1,240

$39.75 ZWL 1,059

17.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 ZWL 1,557

$41.12 ZWL 1,096

42.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,625

$152 ZWL 4,058

13.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 ZWL 2,887

$68.7 ZWL 1,832

57.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 ZWL 11.1K

$546 ZWL 14.6K

-23.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ZWL 8,466

$302 ZWL 8,052

5.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,109 ZWL 56.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,066 ZWL 55.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$297 ZWL 7,922

$249 ZWL 6,641

19.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

114.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bulawayo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Gweru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Bulawayo versus $152 in Gweru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Bulawayo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $40.00 in Gweru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $195 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bulawayo vs Gweru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,138 per month in Bulawayo and $900 in Gweru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gweru, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $759 in Bulawayo and $600 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Bulawayo and $250 in Gweru. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $759 in Bulawayo and $600 in Gweru, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Gweru – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Gweru. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bulawayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.