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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in Bulawayo vs $743 in Kwekwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,456 in Kwekwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,674 per month in Bulawayo vs $2,170 in Kwekwe, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 2% more than Kwekwe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bulawayo and Kwekwe are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 45% lower, Kwekwe 46% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.57 ZWL 122
$10.15 ZWL 270
-54.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.27 ZWL 807
$39.47 ZWL 1,052
-23.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.94 ZWL 132
$6.18 ZWL 165
-20.06%
Cappuccino
$2.08 ZWL 55.4
$3.08 ZWL 82.1
-32.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 ZWL 13.72
$0.99 ZWL 26.38
-48.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ZWL 9.85
$0.50 ZWL 13.21
-26.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.53 ZWL 40.74
$1.48 ZWL 39.39
3.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 ZWL 52.8
$1.95 ZWL 52.1
1.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 ZWL 44.89
$1.51 ZWL 40.22
11.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.01 ZWL 27.01
$0.60 ZWL 15.87
68.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 ZWL 42.45
$1.65 ZWL 43.85
-3.64%
Eggs
$1.81 ZWL 48.36
$1.93 ZWL 51.4
-6.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.80 ZWL 261
$12.08 ZWL 322
-18.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 ZWL 107
$5.64 ZWL 150
-28.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.57 ZWL 122
$3.99 ZWL 106
14.54%
Apples (1kg)
$1.88 ZWL 50.2
$3.03 ZWL 80.7
-37.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 ZWL 41.05
$1.67 ZWL 44.63
-7.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.53 ZWL 67.5
$1.99 ZWL 52.9
27.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.02 ZWL 27.18
$1.46 ZWL 38.97
-30.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 ZWL 33.67
$1.72 ZWL 45.80
-26.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 ZWL 38.39
$1.88 ZWL 50.2
-23.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 ZWL 30.37
$1.17 ZWL 31.18
-2.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ZWL 21.08
$1.05 ZWL 27.93
-24.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.54 ZWL 40.98
$1.98 ZWL 52.7
-22.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.09 ZWL 136
$8.84 ZWL 236
-42.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 ZWL 35.85
$1.36 ZWL 36.31
-0.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ZWL 51.6
$2.02 ZWL 53.7
-3.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 ZWL 20.60
$0.52 ZWL 13.75
48.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.67 ZWL 791
$32.54 ZWL 867
-8.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 ZWL 81.1
$3.96 ZWL 106
-23.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.03 ZWL 54.1
$1.99 ZWL 53.0
2.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.07 ZWL 135
$4.98 ZWL 133
1.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.67 ZWL 44.58
$1.56 ZWL 41.65
7.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K ZWL 661.7K
$22.0K ZWL 587.4K
12.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K ZWL 656.2K
$27.9K ZWL 744.4K
-11.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.2 ZWL 2,564
$54.3 ZWL 1,446
77.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.40 ZWL 464
$18.29 ZWL 487
-4.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$106 ZWL 2,824
$68.0 ZWL 1,813
55.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.55 ZWL 841
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.38 ZWL 543
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.97 ZWL 266
$10.06 ZWL 268
-0.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$229 ZWL 6,103
$470 ZWL 12.5K
-51.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,449 ZWL 91.9K
$9,085 ZWL 242.1K
-62.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$21.67 ZWL 578
$19.72 ZWL 525
9.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$11.81 ZWL 315
$21.30 ZWL 568
-44.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.53 ZWL 1,240
$34.91 ZWL 930
33.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$58.4 ZWL 1,557
$39.88 ZWL 1,063
46.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$174 ZWL 4,625
$152 ZWL 4,048
14.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$108 ZWL 2,887
$122 ZWL 3,249
-11.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$417 ZWL 11.1K
$598 ZWL 15.9K
-30.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$318 ZWL 8,466
$796 ZWL 21.2K
-60.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,109 ZWL 56.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,066 ZWL 55.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bulawayo
Kwekwe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$297 ZWL 7,922
$305 ZWL 8,139
-2.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
15
13.69
9.57%

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

Last update for Bulawayo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kwekwe: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Bulawayo versus $152 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 3% higher in Kwekwe, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $39.00 in Kwekwe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $207 – 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
Is Kwekwe cheaper than Bulawayo?
Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,138 per month in Bulawayo and $1,114 in Kwekwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Bulawayo and in Kwekwe?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $759 in Bulawayo and $743 in Kwekwe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 10% less in Kwekwe. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 enough for either Bulawayo or Kwekwe?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $759 in Bulawayo and $743 in Kwekwe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Bulawayo or Kwekwe more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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