Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Kwekwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Kwekwe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $768 per month in Bulawayo vs $766 in Kwekwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,507 in Kwekwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,248 in Kwekwe, rent included.

Bulawayo and Kwekwe have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ZWL 122

$9.93 ZWL 266

-54.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ZWL 802

$49.64 ZWL 1,329

-39.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ZWL 150

$7.04 ZWL 189

-20.60%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

$3.01 ZWL 80.7

-22.59%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

$0.66 ZWL 17.69

-21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

$0.44 ZWL 11.75

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

$1.53 ZWL 41.06

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

24.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

$1.64 ZWL 43.81

-5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

$0.65 ZWL 17.34

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

$1.65 ZWL 44.17

9.09%

Eggs

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$2.14 ZWL 57.4

-19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ZWL 278

$10.76 ZWL 288

-3.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$6.39 ZWL 171

-37.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 ZWL 119

$4.08 ZWL 109

8.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

$2.94 ZWL 78.7

-48.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

$1.63 ZWL 43.56

-6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

$2.17 ZWL 58.1

6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

$1.71 ZWL 45.66

-36.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

$1.57 ZWL 42.07

-23.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

-32.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

$0.97 ZWL 25.89

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

-0.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

$1.07 ZWL 28.63

42.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ZWL 137

$8.87 ZWL 238

-42.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

$1.13 ZWL 30.12

36.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

$1.70 ZWL 45.62

24.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

$0.48 ZWL 12.98

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ZWL 788

$31.56 ZWL 845

-6.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

$5.10 ZWL 137

-41.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

12.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$4.89 ZWL 131

3.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

$1.55 ZWL 41.48

9.03%

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

$19.6K ZWL 524.8K

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

$23.2K ZWL 620.7K

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

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

$57.9 ZWL 1,549

21.41%

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

$18.25 ZWL 488

$17.71 ZWL 474

3.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,579

$91.8 ZWL 2,456

45.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.90 ZWL 667

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 266

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

$139 ZWL 3,728

$275 ZWL 7,350

-49.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,297 ZWL 195.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.94 ZWL 587

$19.54 ZWL 523

12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.26 ZWL 355

$21.24 ZWL 569

-37.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

$34.23 ZWL 916

102.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

$40.35 ZWL 1,080

37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 ZWL 4,981

$150 ZWL 4,015

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 3,000

$121 ZWL 3,235

-7.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.7K

$594 ZWL 15.9K

-20.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ZWL 11.0K

$785 ZWL 21.0K

-47.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,131 ZWL 57.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ZWL 54.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZWL 7,914

$302 ZWL 8,094

-2.23%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kwekwe: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Bulawayo versus $150 in Kwekwe. 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 2% higher in Kwekwe. 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 Kwekwe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $208 – 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 Kwekwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,152 per month in Bulawayo and $1,149 in Kwekwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kwekwe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Bulawayo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $139 per month in Bulawayo and $275 in Kwekwe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $768 in Bulawayo and $766 in Kwekwe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kwekwe – 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 Kwekwe. 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.