Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Marondera Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Marondera

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $747 per month in Bulawayo vs $780 in Marondera, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,157 in Marondera, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,535 in Marondera, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 4% cheaper than Marondera, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Marondera are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 46% lower, Marondera 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$4.90 ZWL 131

-9.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.78 ZWL 794

$40.07 ZWL 1,068

-25.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$5.85 ZWL 156

-16.41%

Cappuccino

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

9.69%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

$0.92 ZWL 24.63

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

$0.53 ZWL 14.11

-24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

$1.46 ZWL 38.93

1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

3.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

$1.02 ZWL 27.18

55.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

$1.01 ZWL 27.01

0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

$1.02 ZWL 27.07

50.00%

Eggs

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

$1.92 ZWL 51.2

-1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 ZWL 252

$10.09 ZWL 269

-6.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.99 ZWL 106

$4.86 ZWL 130

-17.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZWL 119

$5.13 ZWL 137

-13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

$3.13 ZWL 83.4

-40.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

$1.62 ZWL 43.06

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

20.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

$1.53 ZWL 40.84

-34.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

$1.74 ZWL 46.25

-30.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

$1.87 ZWL 49.95

-22.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

$1.16 ZWL 30.83

-5.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

$0.99 ZWL 26.42

-20.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

-25.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$4.06 ZWL 108

26.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

$1.43 ZWL 38.02

-2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

$1.99 ZWL 53.2

-3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

$3.89 ZWL 104

-21.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

-0.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$4.92 ZWL 131

-0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

$1.79 ZWL 47.60

-8.94%

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

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

$22.4K ZWL 597.4K

11.73%

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

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

$27.5K ZWL 732.6K

-10.85%

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

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

$54.6 ZWL 1,454

76.74%

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

$17.81 ZWL 475

$21.44 ZWL 571

-16.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 ZWL 2,922

$66.1 ZWL 1,762

65.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 ZWL 264

$10.04 ZWL 268

-1.20%

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

$231 ZWL 6,168

$471 ZWL 12.5K

-50.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

$9,101 ZWL 242.5K

-61.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.48 ZWL 572

$24.40 ZWL 650

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.53 ZWL 307

$20.82 ZWL 555

-44.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

$39.97 ZWL 1,065

13.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

$41.33 ZWL 1,101

40.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ZWL 4,646

$254 ZWL 6,762

-31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,915

$253 ZWL 6,753

-56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

-0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ZWL 8,514

$350 ZWL 9,324

-8.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,045

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Marondera: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Bulawayo versus $254 in Marondera. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $40.00 in Marondera. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $188 – 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 Marondera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marondera is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,121 per month in Bulawayo and $1,170 in Marondera. 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 $747 in Bulawayo and $780 in Marondera. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $231 per month in Bulawayo and $471 in Marondera. 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 $747 in Bulawayo and $780 in Marondera, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Marondera makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.