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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $784 per month in Bulawayo vs $780 in Marondera, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,200 in Marondera, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,734 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,620 in Marondera, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 1% more than Marondera, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Marondera are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 41% lower, Marondera 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ZWL 117

$5.03 ZWL 134

-12.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.52 ZWL 789

$49.68 ZWL 1,327

-40.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ZWL 143

$7.19 ZWL 192

-25.73%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ZWL 62.0

$1.97 ZWL 52.8

17.77%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.88

$0.68 ZWL 18.05

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.49

$0.47 ZWL 12.44

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 48.01

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZWL 66.0

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.80

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

54.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.81

$0.98 ZWL 26.11

2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.60

$1.01 ZWL 27.02

76.24%

Eggs

$1.75 ZWL 46.85

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

-18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 ZWL 279

$10.08 ZWL 269

3.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ZWL 103

$5.13 ZWL 137

-25.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.42 ZWL 118

$4.90 ZWL 131

-9.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 ZWL 39.11

$2.99 ZWL 79.8

-51.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ZWL 39.32

$1.61 ZWL 43.15

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 ZWL 59.6

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ZWL 29.90

$1.69 ZWL 45.27

-33.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.70

$1.50 ZWL 40.20

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.29

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-33.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.06

$0.97 ZWL 26.00

1.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

$0.93 ZWL 24.94

8.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.02

$1.13 ZWL 30.21

36.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$3.93 ZWL 105

29.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 41.00

$1.14 ZWL 30.34

34.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ZWL 58.5

$1.80 ZWL 47.99

21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 ZWL 811

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$5.02 ZWL 134

-38.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

14.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ZWL 133

$5.07 ZWL 135

-2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.42

$1.54 ZWL 41.07

7.79%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.2K

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

$23.7K ZWL 633.2K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,936

$58.9 ZWL 1,573

23.11%

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

$18.00 ZWL 481

$17.57 ZWL 469

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$135 ZWL 3,618

$94.1 ZWL 2,514

43.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 ZWL 667

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ZWL 272

$9.83 ZWL 263

3.46%

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

$140 ZWL 3,734

$274 ZWL 7,322

-49.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,385 ZWL 197.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.40 ZWL 572

$19.28 ZWL 515

11.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.10 ZWL 350

$21.07 ZWL 563

-37.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ZWL 1,862

$35.05 ZWL 937

98.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 ZWL 1,478

$39.91 ZWL 1,066

38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZWL 4,881

$249 ZWL 6,646

-26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZWL 2,904

$253 ZWL 6,762

-57.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ZWL 12.6K

$403 ZWL 10.8K

17.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ZWL 11.2K

$354 ZWL 9,453

18.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 ZWL 55.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,041 ZWL 54.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ZWL 7,865

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Marondera: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $183 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 $50.0 in Marondera. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $185 – 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 – Bulawayo is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,176 per month in Bulawayo and $1,169 in Marondera. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marondera, 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 $784 in Bulawayo and $780 in Marondera. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $140 per month in Bulawayo and $274 in Marondera. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $784 in Bulawayo and $780 in Marondera, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Marondera – 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 Marondera. 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.