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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $600 per month in Gweru vs $759 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Gweru vs $1,217 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Gweru vs $1,674 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Gweru is about 21% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Gweru and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Gweru 56% lower, Bulawayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 ZWL 98.7

$4.57 ZWL 122

-18.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.57 ZWL 1,055

$30.27 ZWL 807

30.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ZWL 163

$4.94 ZWL 132

24.09%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZWL 76.3

$2.08 ZWL 55.4

37.50%

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

$0.49 ZWL 12.96

$0.51 ZWL 13.72

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ZWL 10.22

$0.37 ZWL 9.85

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

$1.53 ZWL 40.74

-16.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.24

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

-12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ZWL 39.09

$1.68 ZWL 44.89

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.40

$1.01 ZWL 27.01

1.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.30

$1.59 ZWL 42.45

6.92%

Eggs

$1.93 ZWL 51.4

$1.81 ZWL 48.36

6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 ZWL 318

$9.80 ZWL 261

21.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 ZWL 103

$4.03 ZWL 107

-3.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 ZWL 142

$4.57 ZWL 122

17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

$1.88 ZWL 50.2

4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.40

$1.54 ZWL 41.05

5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$2.53 ZWL 67.5

-22.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.88

$1.02 ZWL 27.18

-4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.73

$1.26 ZWL 33.67

30.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.98

$1.44 ZWL 38.39

-32.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ZWL 32.06

$1.14 ZWL 30.37

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.95

$0.79 ZWL 21.08

27.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

$1.54 ZWL 40.98

26.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ZWL 236

$5.09 ZWL 136

73.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ZWL 36.65

$1.35 ZWL 35.85

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.0

$1.94 ZWL 51.6

4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

$0.77 ZWL 20.60

-32.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.67 ZWL 791

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

30.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ZWL 22.79

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

-57.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$5.07 ZWL 135

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 ZWL 44.45

$1.67 ZWL 44.58

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

$21.8K ZWL 580.0K

$24.8K ZWL 661.7K

-12.35%

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

$27.1K ZWL 721.4K

$24.6K ZWL 656.2K

9.93%

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

$29.78 ZWL 794

$96.2 ZWL 2,564

-69.04%

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

$17.05 ZWL 454

$17.40 ZWL 464

-2.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 ZWL 1,754

$106 ZWL 2,824

-37.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.36 ZWL 1,049

$31.55 ZWL 841

24.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$20.38 ZWL 543

-90.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 ZWL 263

$9.97 ZWL 266

-0.80%

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

$250 ZWL 6,660

$229 ZWL 6,103

9.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,889 ZWL 156.9K

$3,449 ZWL 91.9K

70.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.18 ZWL 644

$21.67 ZWL 578

11.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.27 ZWL 540

$11.81 ZWL 315

71.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.75 ZWL 1,059

$46.53 ZWL 1,240

-14.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.12 ZWL 1,096

$58.4 ZWL 1,557

-29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ZWL 4,058

$174 ZWL 4,625

-12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 ZWL 1,832

$108 ZWL 2,887

-36.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 ZWL 14.6K

$417 ZWL 11.1K

30.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ZWL 8,052

$318 ZWL 8,466

-4.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,109 ZWL 56.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,066 ZWL 55.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 ZWL 6,641

$297 ZWL 7,922

-16.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-53.33%

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

Last update for Gweru: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Gweru versus $174 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 19% 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 $40.00 in Gweru versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $179 – 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 26%, 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 $900 per month in Gweru and $1,138 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 $600 in Gweru and $759 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $250 per month in Gweru and $229 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 $600 in Gweru and $759 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.