Cost of Living Comparison Between Gweru and Harare Cost of Living Comparison Between Gweru and Harare

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $600 per month in Gweru vs $1,056 in Harare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Gweru vs $1,734 in Harare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,528 per month in Gweru vs $2,411 in Harare, rent included.

Gweru is about 43% cheaper than Harare, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Gweru and Harare are more affordable than the global median – Gweru 56% lower, Harare 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 ZWL 98.7

$9.98 ZWL 266

-62.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.57 ZWL 1,055

$39.89 ZWL 1,063

-0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.13 ZWL 163

$5.85 ZWL 156

4.79%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZWL 76.3

$3.19 ZWL 85.1

-10.34%

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

$0.49 ZWL 12.96

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

-47.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ZWL 10.22

$0.53 ZWL 14.02

-28.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

-15.23%

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

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.40

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.30

$1.69 ZWL 44.93

0.59%

Eggs

$1.93 ZWL 51.4

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

-1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.92 ZWL 318

$11.86 ZWL 316

0.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 ZWL 103

$5.47 ZWL 146

-29.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 ZWL 142

$6.76 ZWL 180

-20.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

-35.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.40

$1.60 ZWL 42.51

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

-3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.88

$1.48 ZWL 39.40

-34.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.73

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

-5.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ZWL 25.98

$1.81 ZWL 48.31

-46.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ZWL 32.06

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

-1.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 26.95

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

-2.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ZWL 236

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 ZWL 36.65

$1.40 ZWL 37.40

-1.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.0

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

2.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

-48.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 ZWL 1,598

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 ZWL 106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ZWL 22.79

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

-58.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 130

$5.14 ZWL 137

-4.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 ZWL 44.45

$1.84 ZWL 48.96

-9.24%

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

$21.8K ZWL 580.0K

$22.3K ZWL 594.0K

-2.36%

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

$27.1K ZWL 721.4K

$27.0K ZWL 719.2K

0.32%

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

$29.78 ZWL 794

$54.3 ZWL 1,448

-45.19%

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

$17.05 ZWL 454

$21.37 ZWL 569

-20.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 ZWL 1,754

$68.1 ZWL 1,814

-3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.36 ZWL 1,049

$49.54 ZWL 1,320

-20.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$22.14 ZWL 590

-91.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 ZWL 263

$9.83 ZWL 262

0.61%

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

$250 ZWL 6,660

$459 ZWL 12.2K

-45.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,889 ZWL 156.9K

$8,889 ZWL 236.9K

-33.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.18 ZWL 644

$23.99 ZWL 639

0.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.27 ZWL 540

$21.48 ZWL 573

-5.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.75 ZWL 1,059

$39.84 ZWL 1,062

-0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.12 ZWL 1,096

$41.34 ZWL 1,102

-0.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ZWL 4,058

$401 ZWL 10.7K

-62.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 ZWL 1,832

$315 ZWL 8,400

-78.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 ZWL 14.6K

$836 ZWL 22.3K

-34.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 ZWL 8,052

$746 ZWL 19.9K

-59.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 ZWL 6,641

$422 ZWL 11.2K

-40.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

-48.87%

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

Last update for Gweru: September 13, 2026

Last update for Harare: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Gweru versus $401 in Harare. 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 69% higher in Harare, 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 $40.00 in Harare. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $219 – making Gweru 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 Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $600 in Gweru, $1,056 in Harare – roughly 76% apart. Harare costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $900 per month in Gweru and $1,584 in Harare. 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 $1,056 in Harare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $250 per month in Gweru and $459 in Harare. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gweru, where all-in costs run around $600, than in Harare at $1,056. In Gweru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Harare it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Harare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.