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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Bulawayo vs $607 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,273 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,089 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,767 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,572 in Gweru, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 28% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 42% lower, Gweru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ZWL 118

$2.46 ZWL 65.8

79.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.71 ZWL 793

$50.8 ZWL 1,356

-41.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 ZWL 146

$5.96 ZWL 159

-8.56%

Cappuccino

$2.43 ZWL 65.0

$2.75 ZWL 73.3

-11.64%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.87

$0.48 ZWL 12.68

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.79

$0.44 ZWL 11.67

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ZWL 45.31

$1.53 ZWL 40.78

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ZWL 67.1

$1.03 ZWL 27.41

143.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.66

$1.54 ZWL 41.20

1.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.73

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

-1.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 47.95

$1.94 ZWL 51.9

-7.22%

Eggs

$1.75 ZWL 46.63

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

-11.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 ZWL 270

$10.74 ZWL 287

-5.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ZWL 105

$3.73 ZWL 99.7

5.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.30 ZWL 115

$5.47 ZWL 146

-21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.35

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

-23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.77

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

-12.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ZWL 58.9

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ZWL 29.89

$0.98 ZWL 26.19

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ZWL 31.93

$1.50 ZWL 40.10

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ZWL 37.09

$0.99 ZWL 26.39

40.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.10

$0.94 ZWL 25.21

8.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.88

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.22

$1.12 ZWL 29.88

37.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$9.18 ZWL 245

-44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ZWL 39.86

$1.17 ZWL 31.35

27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ZWL 59.2

$1.80 ZWL 47.99

23.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

$0.48 ZWL 12.69

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.74 ZWL 794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ZWL 78.5

$5.06 ZWL 135

-41.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 ZWL 58.5

$0.88 ZWL 23.59

148.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 ZWL 137

$5.06 ZWL 135

1.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 ZWL 44.49

$1.55 ZWL 41.30

7.74%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

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

$23.2K ZWL 619.4K

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

$70.7 ZWL 1,887

$30.55 ZWL 815

131.46%

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

$18.27 ZWL 488

$17.26 ZWL 461

5.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 ZWL 3,503

$94.1 ZWL 2,512

39.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.62 ZWL 657

$40.72 ZWL 1,087

-39.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

Cinema Ticket

$9.90 ZWL 264

$10.17 ZWL 271

-2.65%

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

$141 ZWL 3,772

$247 ZWL 6,604

-42.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,705 ZWL 152.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.82 ZWL 583

$19.20 ZWL 513

13.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.54 ZWL 361

$20.26 ZWL 541

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ZWL 1,800

$35.10 ZWL 937

92.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.1 ZWL 1,471

$40.69 ZWL 1,086

35.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZWL 4,871

$151 ZWL 4,034

20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,897

$69.2 ZWL 1,848

56.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ZWL 12.4K

$553 ZWL 14.8K

-16.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ZWL 11.1K

$296 ZWL 7,910

40.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,088 ZWL 55.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$305 ZWL 8,145

$252 ZWL 6,716

21.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bulawayo: June 15, 2026

Last update for Gweru: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $183 in Bulawayo versus $151 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 21% 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 $51.0 in Gweru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $192 – 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 28%, 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 $1,168 per month in Bulawayo and $910 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 $779 in Bulawayo and $607 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $141 per month in Bulawayo and $247 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 $779 in Bulawayo and $607 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.