Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Shurugwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bulawayo and Shurugwi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Bulawayo vs $608 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,257 per month in Bulawayo vs $976 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,735 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,344 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 28% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 42% lower, Shurugwi 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 ZWL 123

$10.08 ZWL 271

-54.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.15 ZWL 811

$40.74 ZWL 1,096

-25.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$7.20 ZWL 194

-23.33%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ZWL 64.5

$1.72 ZWL 46.29

39.53%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.98

$0.66 ZWL 17.77

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

$0.44 ZWL 11.80

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ZWL 46.12

$1.47 ZWL 39.50

17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 ZWL 68.0

$1.97 ZWL 53.0

28.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 41.14

$1.57 ZWL 42.24

-2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$0.97 ZWL 26.20

4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 ZWL 47.81

$1.87 ZWL 50.4

-4.81%

Eggs

$1.79 ZWL 48.18

$2.11 ZWL 56.6

-15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.44 ZWL 281

$10.83 ZWL 291

-3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ZWL 105

$6.54 ZWL 176

-40.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.37 ZWL 118

$6.33 ZWL 170

-30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.30

$2.90 ZWL 78.1

-46.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.74

$1.64 ZWL 44.19

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 59.6

$2.21 ZWL 59.3

0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.26

$1.67 ZWL 44.81

-32.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ZWL 31.84

$1.55 ZWL 41.55

-23.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZWL 36.49

$1.96 ZWL 52.8

-30.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 27.54

$1.01 ZWL 27.19

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.44

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

4.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ZWL 39.77

$1.13 ZWL 30.34

30.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 ZWL 133

$8.85 ZWL 238

-44.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

$1.18 ZWL 31.65

25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ZWL 58.7

$1.72 ZWL 46.35

26.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 14.01

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 816

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ZWL 79.2

$4.97 ZWL 134

-40.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

$1.96 ZWL 52.8

16.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$5.12 ZWL 138

-3.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 ZWL 44.65

$1.60 ZWL 43.11

3.75%

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

$19.6K ZWL 527.4K

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

$23.6K ZWL 634.9K

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

$72.5 ZWL 1,950

$57.4 ZWL 1,542

26.45%

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

$18.20 ZWL 489

$17.87 ZWL 481

1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$133 ZWL 3,577

$91.7 ZWL 2,466

45.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 678

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 264

$9.96 ZWL 268

-1.31%

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

$138 ZWL 3,698

$273 ZWL 7,330

-49.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,382 ZWL 198.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.07 ZWL 593

$19.24 ZWL 517

14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.37 ZWL 360

$21.47 ZWL 577

-37.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 ZWL 1,828

$34.91 ZWL 939

94.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.3 ZWL 1,461

$40.94 ZWL 1,101

32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,938

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,997

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 11.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,128

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $41.00 in Shurugwi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $219 – 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 Shurugwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 28%, 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 $1,170 per month in Bulawayo and $913 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $780 in Bulawayo and $608 in Shurugwi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $138 per month in Bulawayo and $273 in Shurugwi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Bulawayo and $608 in Shurugwi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shurugwi – 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 Shurugwi. 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.