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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $607 per month in Gweru vs $787 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,097 per month in Gweru vs $1,255 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in Gweru vs $1,724 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Gweru is about 23% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Gweru and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Gweru 55% lower, Bulawayo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.45 ZWL 62.0

$4.56 ZWL 115

-46.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ZWL 1,288

$30.25 ZWL 765

68.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 ZWL 148

$5.44 ZWL 138

7.35%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ZWL 69.1

$2.35 ZWL 59.4

16.17%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.24

$0.52 ZWL 13.24

-7.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 11.83

$0.41 ZWL 10.36

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 37.26

$1.78 ZWL 45.03

-17.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 25.97

$2.44 ZWL 61.8

-57.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ZWL 36.94

$1.57 ZWL 39.74

-7.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 24.76

$1.02 ZWL 25.72

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ZWL 49.19

$1.79 ZWL 45.40

8.38%

Eggs

$1.96 ZWL 49.57

$1.76 ZWL 44.44

11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 ZWL 275

$10.31 ZWL 261

5.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZWL 98.3

$3.93 ZWL 99.5

-1.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.62 ZWL 142

$4.29 ZWL 108

31.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 49.22

$1.53 ZWL 38.63

27.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 43.08

$1.49 ZWL 37.63

14.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 49.33

$2.26 ZWL 57.1

-13.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 25.83

$1.07 ZWL 27.00

-4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ZWL 39.44

$1.14 ZWL 28.96

36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 25.81

$1.33 ZWL 33.72

-23.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ZWL 25.73

$0.98 ZWL 24.90

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ZWL 23.77

$1.01 ZWL 25.53

-6.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.09 ZWL 27.51

$1.51 ZWL 38.23

-27.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 ZWL 221

$5.11 ZWL 129

70.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 29.81

$1.52 ZWL 38.51

-22.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ZWL 42.99

$2.21 ZWL 55.9

-23.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ZWL 12.31

$0.48 ZWL 12.08

2.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.44 ZWL 770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 ZWL 129

$2.98 ZWL 75.3

70.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ZWL 21.83

$2.18 ZWL 55.2

-60.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 ZWL 124

$4.99 ZWL 126

-1.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 39.37

$1.68 ZWL 42.46

-7.14%

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

$20.4K ZWL 515.1K

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

$23.8K ZWL 602.2K

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

$30.03 ZWL 760

$70.0 ZWL 1,772

-57.11%

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

$16.92 ZWL 428

$18.64 ZWL 472

-9.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.0 ZWL 2,378

$132 ZWL 3,333

-28.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ZWL 1,025

$25.33 ZWL 641

59.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.99 ZWL 50.3

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ZWL 256

$9.98 ZWL 252

1.20%

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

$247 ZWL 6,243

$143 ZWL 3,608

73.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,912 ZWL 149.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.45 ZWL 492

$22.01 ZWL 557

-11.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 ZWL 498

$13.42 ZWL 339

46.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.30 ZWL 868

$68.0 ZWL 1,721

-49.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.90 ZWL 1,035

$55.9 ZWL 1,413

-26.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 ZWL 3,726

$181 ZWL 4,587

-18.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 ZWL 1,738

$112 ZWL 2,822

-38.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 ZWL 14.2K

$468 ZWL 11.8K

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ZWL 7,515

$409 ZWL 10.3K

-27.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,058 ZWL 52.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,038 ZWL 51.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 ZWL 6,318

$302 ZWL 7,635

-17.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Gweru: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $147 in Gweru versus $181 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 21% 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 $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 30%, 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 $910 per month in Gweru and $1,180 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 $607 in Gweru and $787 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $247 per month in Gweru and $143 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 $607 in Gweru and $787 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.