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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $601 per month in Gweru vs $1,002 in Harare, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Gweru vs $1,678 in Harare, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,548 per month in Gweru vs $2,354 in Harare, rent included.

Gweru is about 40% cheaper than Harare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Gweru and Harare are more affordable than the global median – Gweru 55% lower, Harare 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

$10.10 ZWL 269

-75.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,360

$49.37 ZWL 1,317

3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 ZWL 163

$7.20 ZWL 192

-15.00%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ZWL 74.2

$2.95 ZWL 78.6

-5.76%

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.91

$0.71 ZWL 18.86

-32.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.51

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ZWL 39.06

$1.48 ZWL 39.53

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

-49.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

$1.60 ZWL 42.70

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

-4.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.75

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

-2.11%

Eggs

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

$2.09 ZWL 55.8

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 ZWL 292

$10.97 ZWL 293

-0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ZWL 99.1

$6.55 ZWL 175

-43.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.60 ZWL 149

$6.25 ZWL 167

-10.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$3.02 ZWL 80.6

-32.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 44.96

$1.67 ZWL 44.63

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

$2.24 ZWL 59.9

-8.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.14

$1.64 ZWL 43.77

-37.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ZWL 41.68

$1.49 ZWL 39.87

4.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

-50.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

$1.13 ZWL 30.19

-1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.22 ZWL 246

$9.28 ZWL 248

-0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.60

$1.18 ZWL 31.57

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

$1.74 ZWL 46.32

-1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.61

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

-50.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 ZWL 1,125

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$5.13 ZWL 137

-1.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 ZWL 23.48

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

-55.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 ZWL 136

$5.10 ZWL 136

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

$1.62 ZWL 43.15

-3.70%

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

$19.7K ZWL 524.5K

$19.7K ZWL 526.1K

-0.30%

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

$23.3K ZWL 622.7K

$23.6K ZWL 629.1K

-1.02%

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

$30.34 ZWL 810

$59.4 ZWL 1,585

-48.94%

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

$17.29 ZWL 461

$17.75 ZWL 474

-2.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.7 ZWL 2,448

$93.8 ZWL 2,501

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.76 ZWL 1,061

$53.7 ZWL 1,434

-26.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$14.35 ZWL 383

-86.34%

Cinema Ticket

$10.03 ZWL 268

$9.84 ZWL 263

1.93%

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

$246 ZWL 6,571

$273 ZWL 7,285

-9.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,774 ZWL 154.1K

$7,310 ZWL 195.0K

-21.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.73 ZWL 526

$19.62 ZWL 523

0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.18 ZWL 538

$21.62 ZWL 577

-6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.88 ZWL 931

$35.26 ZWL 941

-1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.70 ZWL 1,059

$40.29 ZWL 1,075

-1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 ZWL 4,061

$405 ZWL 10.8K

-62.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.6 ZWL 1,831

$279 ZWL 7,435

-75.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 ZWL 14.5K

$975 ZWL 26.0K

-44.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ZWL 7,965

$706 ZWL 18.8K

-57.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$915 ZWL 24.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 ZWL 6,721

$401 ZWL 10.7K

-37.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

-47.41%

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

Last update for Gweru: July 26, 2026

Last update for Harare: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $152 in Gweru versus $405 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 59% 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 $51.0 in Gweru versus $49.00 in Harare. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Gweru vs $222 in Harare – so Gweru wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $601 in Gweru, $1,002 in Harare – roughly 67% apart. Harare costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $902 per month in Gweru and $1,503 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 $601 in Gweru and $1,002 in Harare. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $246 per month in Gweru and $273 in Harare. 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 $1,002 in Harare, 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, Harare makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.