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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $766 per month in Bulawayo vs $615 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Bulawayo vs $983 in Shurugwi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,782 per month in Bulawayo vs $1,350 in Shurugwi, rent included.

Bulawayo costs about 25% more than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bulawayo and Shurugwi are more affordable than the global median – Bulawayo 43% lower, Shurugwi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 ZWL 118

$9.86 ZWL 263

-55.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.55 ZWL 788

$40.38 ZWL 1,077

-26.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ZWL 147

$7.10 ZWL 189

-22.25%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

$1.66 ZWL 44.38

43.98%

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

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

$0.66 ZWL 17.52

-21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

$0.44 ZWL 11.61

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

21.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

$1.62 ZWL 43.25

-1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

-1.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

-15.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 ZWL 279

$10.86 ZWL 290

-3.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZWL 104

$6.31 ZWL 168

-38.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 ZWL 115

$6.24 ZWL 166

-30.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

-51.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

$1.63 ZWL 43.52

-8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

$2.18 ZWL 58.2

6.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

$1.71 ZWL 45.75

-33.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

$1.50 ZWL 40.13

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-32.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$1.04 ZWL 27.63

-0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

$0.94 ZWL 25.09

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

$1.13 ZWL 30.15

36.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$9.47 ZWL 253

-47.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

$1.12 ZWL 29.82

36.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

$1.71 ZWL 45.55

24.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 ZWL 802

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

$5.08 ZWL 135

-41.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

$1.94 ZWL 51.9

13.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$4.99 ZWL 133

0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

$1.53 ZWL 40.93

7.19%

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

$19.8K ZWL 527.7K

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

$23.7K ZWL 631.4K

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

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

$58.9 ZWL 1,570

21.66%

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

$18.35 ZWL 490

$17.82 ZWL 475

2.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$134 ZWL 3,585

$90.8 ZWL 2,424

47.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

Cinema Ticket

$9.95 ZWL 265

$9.87 ZWL 263

0.81%

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

$142 ZWL 3,781

$281 ZWL 7,488

-49.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,402 ZWL 197.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.35 ZWL 570

$19.35 ZWL 516

10.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.38 ZWL 357

$21.53 ZWL 574

-37.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

$35.24 ZWL 940

95.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

$39.57 ZWL 1,056

41.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,899

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,992

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ZWL 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ZWL 11.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 ZWL 8,034

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 11, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bulawayo versus $40.00 in Shurugwi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $180 vs $220 – 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 25%, 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 $1,149 per month in Bulawayo and $922 in Shurugwi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $766 in Bulawayo and $615 in Shurugwi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $142 per month in Bulawayo and $281 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 $766 in Bulawayo and $615 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.