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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $784 per month in Bulawayo vs $601 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,074 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,734 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,548 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

$4.39 ZWL 117

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

78.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.52 ZWL 788

$51.0 ZWL 1,360

-42.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ZWL 143

$6.12 ZWL 163

-12.75%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ZWL 61.9

$2.78 ZWL 74.2

-16.55%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.86

$0.48 ZWL 12.91

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.47

$0.47 ZWL 12.51

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 47.94

$1.46 ZWL 39.06

23.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZWL 65.9

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

142.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.74

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.77

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.53

$1.86 ZWL 49.75

-4.30%

Eggs

$1.75 ZWL 46.78

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

-11.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ZWL 279

$10.93 ZWL 292

-4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ZWL 102

$3.71 ZWL 99.1

3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 ZWL 118

$5.60 ZWL 149

-21.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 ZWL 39.05

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

-28.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ZWL 39.26

$1.69 ZWL 44.96

-13.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ZWL 29.86

$1.02 ZWL 27.14

9.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.66

$1.56 ZWL 41.68

-26.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.24

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

38.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.02

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.88

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 40.96

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

38.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$9.22 ZWL 246

-45.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

$1.18 ZWL 31.60

29.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ZWL 58.4

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

28.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.66

$0.51 ZWL 13.61

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 ZWL 810

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ZWL 82.1

$5.07 ZWL 135

-39.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

$0.88 ZWL 23.48

153.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ZWL 132

$5.11 ZWL 136

-2.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.35

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

6.41%

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

$19.7K ZWL 524.5K

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

$23.3K ZWL 622.7K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,933

$30.34 ZWL 810

138.83%

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

$18.00 ZWL 480

$17.29 ZWL 461

4.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$135 ZWL 3,613

$91.7 ZWL 2,448

47.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 ZWL 666

$39.76 ZWL 1,061

-37.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ZWL 271

$10.03 ZWL 268

1.40%

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

$140 ZWL 3,729

$246 ZWL 6,571

-43.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,774 ZWL 154.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.40 ZWL 571

$19.73 ZWL 526

8.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.10 ZWL 349

$20.18 ZWL 538

-35.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ZWL 1,859

$34.88 ZWL 931

99.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ZWL 1,476

$39.70 ZWL 1,059

39.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZWL 4,874

$152 ZWL 4,061

20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,900

$68.6 ZWL 1,831

58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.6K

$542 ZWL 14.5K

-12.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ZWL 11.2K

$299 ZWL 7,965

40.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 ZWL 55.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,041 ZWL 54.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ZWL 7,853

$252 ZWL 6,721

16.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Bulawayo: July 26, 2026

Last update for Gweru: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $183 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 17% 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 $193 – 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 $1,176 per month in Bulawayo and $902 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 $784 in Bulawayo and $601 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $140 per month in Bulawayo and $246 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 $784 in Bulawayo and $601 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.