Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Harare Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Harare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Bulawayo vs $991 in Harare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,659 in Harare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,735 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,327 in Harare, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 21% cheaper than Harare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Harare are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 42% lower, Harare 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ZWL 123

$10.14 ZWL 273

-54.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.15 ZWL 811

$50.2 ZWL 1,349

-39.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$7.03 ZWL 189

-21.48%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ZWL 64.5

$2.89 ZWL 77.8

-16.96%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.98

$0.67 ZWL 17.98

-28.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

$0.47 ZWL 12.69

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ZWL 46.12

$1.47 ZWL 39.59

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ZWL 68.0

$2.06 ZWL 55.3

22.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 41.14

$1.63 ZWL 43.74

-6.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$1.03 ZWL 27.58

-1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.81

$1.89 ZWL 50.8

-5.82%

Eggs

$1.79 ZWL 48.18

$2.16 ZWL 58.1

-17.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 ZWL 281

$10.78 ZWL 290

-3.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ZWL 105

$6.24 ZWL 168

-37.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 ZWL 118

$6.24 ZWL 168

-29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.30

$2.97 ZWL 80.0

-48.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.74

$1.64 ZWL 44.22

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 59.6

$2.28 ZWL 61.4

-2.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.26

$1.66 ZWL 44.62

-31.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ZWL 31.84

$1.51 ZWL 40.73

-21.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.49

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

-31.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.54

$0.98 ZWL 26.26

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.44

$0.97 ZWL 26.05

9.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ZWL 39.77

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

32.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ZWL 133

$9.18 ZWL 247

-46.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

$1.18 ZWL 31.84

25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ZWL 58.7

$1.71 ZWL 45.91

27.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 14.01

$0.97 ZWL 26.19

-46.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 816

$43.15 ZWL 1,160

-29.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ZWL 79.2

$4.89 ZWL 131

-39.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

$2.05 ZWL 55.2

11.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.65

$1.57 ZWL 42.20

5.73%

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

$19.8K ZWL 531.3K

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

$23.9K ZWL 641.7K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,950

$58.6 ZWL 1,575

23.80%

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

$18.20 ZWL 489

$17.79 ZWL 478

2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 ZWL 3,577

$93.2 ZWL 2,505

42.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 678

$53.5 ZWL 1,439

-52.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ZWL 382

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 264

$9.93 ZWL 267

-1.01%

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

$138 ZWL 3,698

$283 ZWL 7,611

-51.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 ZWL 197.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.07 ZWL 593

$19.00 ZWL 511

16.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.37 ZWL 360

$21.04 ZWL 566

-36.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ZWL 1,828

$34.77 ZWL 935

95.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ZWL 1,461

$40.05 ZWL 1,077

35.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,938

$403 ZWL 10.8K

-54.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,997

$280 ZWL 7,538

-60.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

$941 ZWL 25.3K

-50.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 11.0K

$688 ZWL 18.5K

-40.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

$899 ZWL 24.2K

128.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.6K

$390 ZWL 10.5K

429.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,128

$393 ZWL 10.6K

-23.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

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

Last update for Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Harare: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Bulawayo versus $403 in Harare. 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 30% higher in Harare, 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 $50.0 in Harare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $219 – 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 Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Harare is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,170 per month in Bulawayo and $1,486 in Harare. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, 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 $780 in Bulawayo and $991 in Harare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Harare at $991. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Harare it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Harare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.