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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $601 per month in Gweru vs $784 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Gweru vs $1,259 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,548 per month in Gweru vs $1,734 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

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

$4.39 ZWL 117

-43.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,360

$29.52 ZWL 788

72.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ZWL 163

$5.34 ZWL 143

14.61%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ZWL 74.2

$2.32 ZWL 61.9

19.83%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.91

$0.48 ZWL 12.86

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.51

$0.43 ZWL 11.47

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ZWL 39.06

$1.80 ZWL 47.94

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

$2.47 ZWL 65.9

-58.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

$1.56 ZWL 41.74

-2.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

$1.00 ZWL 26.77

-3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.75

$1.78 ZWL 47.53

4.49%

Eggs

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

$1.75 ZWL 46.78

12.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 ZWL 292

$10.45 ZWL 279

4.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ZWL 99.1

$3.84 ZWL 102

-3.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.60 ZWL 149

$4.42 ZWL 118

26.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$1.46 ZWL 39.05

39.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 44.96

$1.47 ZWL 39.26

14.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

-8.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.14

$1.12 ZWL 29.86

-8.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ZWL 41.68

$1.15 ZWL 30.66

35.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

$1.36 ZWL 36.24

-27.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

$0.98 ZWL 26.02

-3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

$1.01 ZWL 26.88

1.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

$1.54 ZWL 40.96

-27.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 ZWL 246

$5.07 ZWL 135

81.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.60

$1.53 ZWL 40.94

-22.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

$2.19 ZWL 58.4

-21.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.61

$0.51 ZWL 13.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 ZWL 810

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$3.08 ZWL 82.1

64.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 ZWL 23.48

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

-60.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 ZWL 136

$4.96 ZWL 132

3.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

$1.66 ZWL 44.35

-6.02%

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

$19.7K ZWL 524.5K

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

$23.3K ZWL 622.7K

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

$30.34 ZWL 810

$72.5 ZWL 1,933

-58.13%

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

$17.29 ZWL 461

$18.00 ZWL 480

-3.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.7 ZWL 2,448

$135 ZWL 3,613

-32.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.76 ZWL 1,061

$24.96 ZWL 666

59.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 ZWL 268

$10.17 ZWL 271

-1.38%

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

$246 ZWL 6,571

$140 ZWL 3,729

76.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,774 ZWL 154.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.73 ZWL 526

$21.40 ZWL 571

-7.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.18 ZWL 538

$13.10 ZWL 349

54.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.88 ZWL 931

$69.7 ZWL 1,859

-49.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.70 ZWL 1,059

$55.3 ZWL 1,476

-28.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ZWL 4,061

$183 ZWL 4,874

-16.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.6 ZWL 1,831

$109 ZWL 2,900

-36.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 ZWL 14.5K

$473 ZWL 12.6K

14.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ZWL 7,965

$420 ZWL 11.2K

-28.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 ZWL 55.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,041 ZWL 54.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,721

$294 ZWL 7,853

-14.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Gweru: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Gweru versus $183 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 17% 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: $193 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 $902 per month in Gweru and $1,176 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 $601 in Gweru and $784 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $246 per month in Gweru and $140 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 $601 in Gweru and $784 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.