Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Harare vs $757 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Harare vs $1,206 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,385 per month in Harare vs $1,654 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Harare costs about 36% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Harare and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Harare 25% lower, Bulawayo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.95 ZWL 266

$4.63 ZWL 124

114.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.21 ZWL 1,074

$30.35 ZWL 811

32.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.92 ZWL 158

$4.94 ZWL 132

19.84%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

$2.06 ZWL 55.1

49.51%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.85

$0.48 ZWL 12.93

93.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ZWL 12.98

$0.37 ZWL 9.76

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.62

$1.51 ZWL 40.44

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

4.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.62

$1.66 ZWL 44.38

-3.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.52

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.76

$1.58 ZWL 42.16

3.80%

Eggs

$1.87 ZWL 49.85

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

-1.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 ZWL 320

$9.75 ZWL 260

22.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 ZWL 148

$3.91 ZWL 104

41.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ZWL 174

$4.54 ZWL 121

43.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ZWL 84.3

$1.79 ZWL 47.72

75.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.75

$1.54 ZWL 41.18

3.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

$2.40 ZWL 64.1

-15.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ZWL 38.96

$1.01 ZWL 27.07

44.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.35

$1.28 ZWL 34.13

35.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.82

$1.42 ZWL 37.86

30.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ZWL 31.16

$1.15 ZWL 30.81

1.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZWL 26.59

$0.81 ZWL 21.64

23.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

28.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.88 ZWL 237

$5.02 ZWL 134

76.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ZWL 36.54

$1.40 ZWL 37.44

-2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

$1.85 ZWL 49.42

4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

$0.77 ZWL 20.70

33.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 ZWL 1,611

$29.60 ZWL 791

103.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 ZWL 109

$3.09 ZWL 82.5

32.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

5.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$4.97 ZWL 133

-1.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 ZWL 47.90

$1.66 ZWL 44.49

7.83%

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

$22.4K ZWL 599.2K

$24.7K ZWL 660.6K

-9.30%

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

$27.4K ZWL 732.1K

$25.5K ZWL 681.0K

7.51%

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

$54.5 ZWL 1,456

$94.6 ZWL 2,529

-42.43%

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

$21.79 ZWL 582

$17.39 ZWL 465

25.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 ZWL 1,803

$106 ZWL 2,840

-36.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.78 ZWL 1,303

$30.76 ZWL 822

58.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.89 ZWL 612

$19.77 ZWL 528

15.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 ZWL 270

$10.08 ZWL 269

0.20%

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

$471 ZWL 12.6K

$230 ZWL 6,158

104.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,024 ZWL 241.1K

$3,527 ZWL 94.2K

155.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.01 ZWL 642

$21.48 ZWL 574

11.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.84 ZWL 557

$11.44 ZWL 306

82.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.96 ZWL 1,041

$46.01 ZWL 1,229

-15.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.36 ZWL 1,132

$57.4 ZWL 1,534

-26.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 ZWL 10.9K

$172 ZWL 4,595

138.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ZWL 8,559

$110 ZWL 2,929

192.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 ZWL 22.0K

$412 ZWL 11.0K

99.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ZWL 19.9K

$325 ZWL 8,672

129.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.9K

$2,082 ZWL 55.6K

-55.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 ZWL 10.3K

$2,047 ZWL 54.7K

-81.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 ZWL 11.5K

$304 ZWL 8,113

41.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

-8.73%

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

Last update for Harare: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $410 in Harare versus $172 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 42% 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 Harare versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $178 – 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

Harare vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Harare is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,541 per month in Harare and $1,135 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, 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 $1,028 in Harare and $757 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 104% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Harare at $1,028. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Harare it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. 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.