Cost of Living Comparison Between Gweru and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Gweru and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $620 per month in Gweru vs $768 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,094 per month in Gweru vs $1,261 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,567 per month in Gweru vs $1,753 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Gweru is about 19% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 ZWL 68.0

$4.55 ZWL 122

-44.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 ZWL 1,352

$29.96 ZWL 802

68.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 ZWL 165

$5.59 ZWL 150

10.20%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZWL 76.7

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

22.75%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.97

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.52

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.57

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

-12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ZWL 26.38

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

-59.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ZWL 39.05

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

-5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

8.89%

Eggs

$1.94 ZWL 52.1

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

12.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ZWL 291

$10.40 ZWL 278

4.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 ZWL 104

$3.97 ZWL 106

-2.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.37 ZWL 144

$4.44 ZWL 119

20.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

30.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.40

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.2

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

-14.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 ZWL 27.56

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

-5.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ZWL 40.25

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 26.07

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

-30.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ZWL 25.81

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

-4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZWL 26.72

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

-0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.19

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

-25.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 ZWL 238

$5.11 ZWL 137

73.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.26

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

-24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.58

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

-17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.69

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ZWL 788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 ZWL 136

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

70.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 ZWL 24.43

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

-60.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ZWL 137

$5.04 ZWL 135

1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.43

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

-4.14%

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

$20.1K ZWL 538.1K

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

$23.8K ZWL 636.4K

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

$29.93 ZWL 801

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

-57.40%

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

$17.27 ZWL 462

$18.25 ZWL 488

-5.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.7 ZWL 2,509

$134 ZWL 3,579

-29.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.67 ZWL 1,062

$24.90 ZWL 667

59.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.04 ZWL 54.7

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 ZWL 272

$9.93 ZWL 266

2.42%

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

$254 ZWL 6,809

$139 ZWL 3,728

82.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,774 ZWL 154.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.40 ZWL 519

$21.94 ZWL 587

-11.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.14 ZWL 539

$13.26 ZWL 355

51.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.17 ZWL 942

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

-49.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.76 ZWL 1,064

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

-28.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 ZWL 3,994

$186 ZWL 4,981

-19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.0 ZWL 1,900

$112 ZWL 3,000

-36.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$539 ZWL 14.4K

$473 ZWL 12.7K

14.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ZWL 8,011

$411 ZWL 11.0K

-27.22%

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)

$246 ZWL 6,589

$296 ZWL 7,914

-16.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Gweru: June 6, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Gweru versus $186 in Bulawayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Bulawayo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Gweru versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $180 – 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

Gweru vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 24%, 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 $931 per month in Gweru and $1,152 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gweru, 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 $620 in Gweru and $768 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $254 per month in Gweru and $139 in Bulawayo. 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 $620 in Gweru and $768 in Bulawayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Gweru – 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 Gweru. 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.