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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $787 per month in Bulawayo vs $607 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,097 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,724 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,588 in Gweru, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 30% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 41% lower, Gweru 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ZWL 115

$2.45 ZWL 62.0

86.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.25 ZWL 765

$50.9 ZWL 1,288

-40.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 ZWL 138

$5.84 ZWL 148

-6.85%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ZWL 59.4

$2.73 ZWL 69.1

-13.92%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.24

$0.48 ZWL 12.24

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 ZWL 10.36

$0.47 ZWL 11.83

-12.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ZWL 45.03

$1.47 ZWL 37.26

21.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ZWL 61.8

$1.03 ZWL 25.97

136.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 39.74

$1.46 ZWL 36.94

7.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 25.72

$0.98 ZWL 24.76

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 ZWL 45.40

$1.94 ZWL 49.19

-7.73%

Eggs

$1.76 ZWL 44.44

$1.96 ZWL 49.57

-10.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 ZWL 261

$10.85 ZWL 275

-4.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ZWL 99.5

$3.89 ZWL 98.3

1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.29 ZWL 108

$5.62 ZWL 142

-23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 38.63

$1.95 ZWL 49.22

-21.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 37.63

$1.70 ZWL 43.08

-12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 ZWL 57.1

$1.95 ZWL 49.33

15.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ZWL 27.00

$1.02 ZWL 25.83

4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 ZWL 28.96

$1.56 ZWL 39.44

-26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZWL 33.72

$1.02 ZWL 25.81

30.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 24.90

$1.02 ZWL 25.73

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 25.53

$0.94 ZWL 23.77

7.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 ZWL 38.23

$1.09 ZWL 27.51

38.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ZWL 129

$8.73 ZWL 221

-41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZWL 38.51

$1.18 ZWL 29.81

28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ZWL 55.9

$1.70 ZWL 42.99

30.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ZWL 12.08

$0.49 ZWL 12.31

-2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.44 ZWL 770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 ZWL 75.3

$5.09 ZWL 129

-41.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.18 ZWL 55.2

$0.86 ZWL 21.83

153.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 ZWL 126

$4.90 ZWL 124

1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 ZWL 42.46

$1.56 ZWL 39.37

7.69%

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

$20.4K ZWL 515.1K

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

$23.8K ZWL 602.2K

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

$70.0 ZWL 1,772

$30.03 ZWL 760

133.17%

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

$18.64 ZWL 472

$16.92 ZWL 428

10.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$132 ZWL 3,333

$94.0 ZWL 2,378

40.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.33 ZWL 641

$40.50 ZWL 1,025

-37.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.99 ZWL 50.3

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ZWL 252

$10.10 ZWL 256

-1.19%

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

$143 ZWL 3,608

$247 ZWL 6,243

-42.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,912 ZWL 149.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.01 ZWL 557

$19.45 ZWL 492

13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.42 ZWL 339

$19.67 ZWL 498

-31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ZWL 1,721

$34.30 ZWL 868

98.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ZWL 1,413

$40.90 ZWL 1,035

36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZWL 4,587

$147 ZWL 3,726

23.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,822

$68.7 ZWL 1,738

62.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 ZWL 11.8K

$561 ZWL 14.2K

-16.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 10.3K

$297 ZWL 7,515

37.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,058 ZWL 52.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,038 ZWL 51.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 7,635

$250 ZWL 6,318

20.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bulawayo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gweru: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Bulawayo versus $147 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 $191 – 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 30%, 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 $1,180 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 $787 in Bulawayo and $607 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $143 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 $787 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.