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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $757 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,028 in Harare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,206 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,706 in Harare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,654 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,385 in Harare, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 26% cheaper than Harare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Harare are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 45% lower, Harare 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ZWL 124

$9.95 ZWL 266

-53.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.35 ZWL 811

$40.21 ZWL 1,074

-24.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ZWL 132

$5.92 ZWL 158

-16.55%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ZWL 55.1

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

-33.12%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.93

$0.93 ZWL 24.85

-48.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ZWL 9.76

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

-24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ZWL 40.44

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.38

$1.60 ZWL 42.62

3.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

$1.03 ZWL 27.52

-0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZWL 42.16

$1.64 ZWL 43.76

-3.66%

Eggs

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

$1.87 ZWL 49.85

1.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 ZWL 260

$11.97 ZWL 320

-18.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ZWL 104

$5.52 ZWL 148

-29.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.54 ZWL 121

$6.50 ZWL 174

-30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ZWL 47.72

$3.15 ZWL 84.3

-43.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.18

$1.60 ZWL 42.75

-3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 ZWL 64.1

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

18.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 27.07

$1.46 ZWL 38.96

-30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ZWL 34.13

$1.73 ZWL 46.35

-26.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ZWL 37.86

$1.86 ZWL 49.82

-23.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZWL 30.81

$1.17 ZWL 31.16

-1.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZWL 21.64

$1.00 ZWL 26.59

-19.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

-22.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$8.88 ZWL 237

-43.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.44

$1.37 ZWL 36.54

2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ZWL 49.42

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ZWL 20.70

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

-25.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.60 ZWL 791

$60.3 ZWL 1,611

-50.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ZWL 82.5

$4.08 ZWL 109

-24.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

-5.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$4.89 ZWL 131

1.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.49

$1.79 ZWL 47.90

-7.26%

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

$24.7K ZWL 660.6K

$22.4K ZWL 599.2K

10.25%

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

$25.5K ZWL 681.0K

$27.4K ZWL 732.1K

-6.98%

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

$94.6 ZWL 2,529

$54.5 ZWL 1,456

73.72%

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

$17.39 ZWL 465

$21.79 ZWL 582

-20.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 ZWL 2,840

$67.5 ZWL 1,803

57.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.76 ZWL 822

$48.78 ZWL 1,303

-36.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.77 ZWL 528

$22.89 ZWL 612

-13.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 ZWL 269

$10.10 ZWL 270

-0.20%

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

$230 ZWL 6,158

$471 ZWL 12.6K

-51.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,527 ZWL 94.2K

$9,024 ZWL 241.1K

-60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 574

$24.01 ZWL 642

-10.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.44 ZWL 306

$20.84 ZWL 557

-45.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.01 ZWL 1,229

$38.96 ZWL 1,041

18.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.4 ZWL 1,534

$42.36 ZWL 1,132

35.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 ZWL 4,595

$410 ZWL 10.9K

-58.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 ZWL 2,929

$320 ZWL 8,559

-65.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 ZWL 11.0K

$823 ZWL 22.0K

-49.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 ZWL 8,672

$744 ZWL 19.9K

-56.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,082 ZWL 55.6K

$932 ZWL 24.9K

123.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 ZWL 54.7K

$385 ZWL 10.3K

431.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 ZWL 8,113

$430 ZWL 11.5K

-29.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

9.57%

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

Last update for Bulawayo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Harare: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $172 in Bulawayo versus $410 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 42% 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 $40.00 in Harare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $218 – 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 36%, 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 $1,135 per month in Bulawayo and $1,541 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 $757 in Bulawayo and $1,028 in Harare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 104% 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 $757, than in Harare at $1,028. 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.