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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $768 per month in Bulawayo vs $806 in Marondera, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,261 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,192 in Marondera, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,577 in Marondera, rent included.

Bulawayo is about 5% cheaper than Marondera, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Marondera are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Marondera 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ZWL 122

$5.07 ZWL 136

-10.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.96 ZWL 802

$51.0 ZWL 1,365

-41.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ZWL 150

$7.11 ZWL 190

-21.38%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

$2.04 ZWL 54.6

14.22%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

$0.67 ZWL 17.93

-22.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

$1.53 ZWL 40.95

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

$1.02 ZWL 27.35

51.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

$1.01 ZWL 27.15

-0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

$0.99 ZWL 26.41

81.82%

Eggs

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

-19.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 ZWL 278

$10.15 ZWL 272

2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$4.86 ZWL 130

-18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.44 ZWL 119

$5.04 ZWL 135

-11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

$2.99 ZWL 80.1

-49.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

-7.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

13.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

$1.66 ZWL 44.51

-34.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

$1.55 ZWL 41.51

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

-28.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

$1.01 ZWL 27.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

$1.13 ZWL 30.18

34.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.11 ZWL 137

$3.88 ZWL 104

31.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

$1.17 ZWL 31.24

31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

$1.80 ZWL 48.10

17.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ZWL 788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

$4.92 ZWL 132

-39.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

15.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$4.96 ZWL 133

1.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

$1.57 ZWL 41.98

7.64%

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

$19.8K ZWL 529.9K

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

$23.7K ZWL 633.7K

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

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

$59.3 ZWL 1,586

18.55%

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

$18.25 ZWL 488

$17.78 ZWL 476

2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,579

$93.5 ZWL 2,502

43.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.90 ZWL 667

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 266

$10.04 ZWL 269

-1.10%

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

$139 ZWL 3,728

$282 ZWL 7,551

-50.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,218 ZWL 193.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.94 ZWL 587

$19.51 ZWL 522

12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.26 ZWL 355

$21.70 ZWL 581

-38.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

$34.52 ZWL 924

100.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

$40.22 ZWL 1,077

38.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 ZWL 4,981

$249 ZWL 6,671

-25.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 3,000

$252 ZWL 6,753

-55.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.7K

$403 ZWL 10.8K

17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ZWL 11.0K

$348 ZWL 9,306

18.27%

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

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 Marondera: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Bulawayo versus $249 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 $51.0 in Marondera. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $186 – 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 5%, 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 $1,152 per month in Bulawayo and $1,209 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 $768 in Bulawayo and $806 in Marondera. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $139 per month in Bulawayo and $282 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 $768 in Bulawayo and $806 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.