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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Bulawayo vs $990 in Harare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,688 in Harare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,385 in Harare, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 23% cheaper than Harare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Harare are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Harare 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$9.92 ZWL 265

-55.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.55 ZWL 788

$49.31 ZWL 1,316

-40.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 147

$7.09 ZWL 189

-22.14%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

-19.26%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

$0.70 ZWL 18.70

-25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

$0.46 ZWL 12.36

-4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

$1.53 ZWL 40.70

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

$1.57 ZWL 42.01

1.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$0.97 ZWL 25.93

3.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

$1.86 ZWL 49.50

-3.23%

Eggs

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

$2.10 ZWL 55.9

-13.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 ZWL 279

$10.83 ZWL 289

-3.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZWL 104

$6.23 ZWL 166

-37.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 ZWL 115

$6.21 ZWL 166

-30.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

-48.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$1.69 ZWL 45.01

-11.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

7.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

$1.70 ZWL 45.39

-33.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

$1.55 ZWL 41.36

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

-30.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

11.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

$1.08 ZWL 28.83

42.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$9.32 ZWL 249

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

$1.71 ZWL 45.70

24.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

$0.98 ZWL 26.27

-46.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 ZWL 802

$41.84 ZWL 1,116

-28.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

$4.98 ZWL 133

-40.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

11.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$5.03 ZWL 134

-0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

$1.55 ZWL 41.37

5.81%

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)

$23.0K ZWL 613.8K

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

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

$58.0 ZWL 1,547

23.51%

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

$18.35 ZWL 490

$17.53 ZWL 468

4.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,585

$92.1 ZWL 2,456

45.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

$54.1 ZWL 1,442

-52.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 ZWL 380

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 ZWL 265

$10.11 ZWL 270

-1.58%

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

$142 ZWL 3,781

$277 ZWL 7,384

-48.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,215 ZWL 192.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.35 ZWL 570

$19.55 ZWL 522

9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 ZWL 357

$21.55 ZWL 575

-37.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

$35.11 ZWL 937

95.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

$40.98 ZWL 1,093

36.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,899

$398 ZWL 10.6K

-53.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,992

$279 ZWL 7,436

-59.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$954 ZWL 25.5K

-51.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ZWL 11.1K

$695 ZWL 18.5K

-40.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

$934 ZWL 24.9K

126.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

$390 ZWL 10.4K

429.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 ZWL 8,034

$400 ZWL 10.7K

-24.70%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Harare: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $184 in Bulawayo versus $398 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 33% 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 $49.00 in Harare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $217 – 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 29%, 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 $1,149 per month in Bulawayo and $1,485 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 $766 in Bulawayo and $990 in Harare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% 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 $766, than in Harare at $990. 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.