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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $990 per month in Harare vs $766 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,688 per month in Harare vs $1,274 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,385 per month in Harare vs $1,782 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Harare costs about 29% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Harare and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Harare 26% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ZWL 265

$4.42 ZWL 118

124.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.31 ZWL 1,316

$29.55 ZWL 788

66.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ZWL 189

$5.52 ZWL 147

28.44%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

23.85%

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

$0.70 ZWL 18.70

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.36

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.70

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.01

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

-1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.93

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

-3.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.50

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

3.33%

Eggs

$2.10 ZWL 55.9

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ZWL 289

$10.46 ZWL 279

3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ZWL 166

$3.89 ZWL 104

60.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$4.31 ZWL 115

44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

93.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.01

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

13.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

-6.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.39

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

50.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.36

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

43.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

-10.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 28.83

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

-29.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 ZWL 249

$4.97 ZWL 133

87.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

-26.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.70

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

-19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.27

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

88.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 ZWL 1,116

$30.04 ZWL 802

39.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

67.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

-10.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

$5.02 ZWL 134

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.37

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

-5.49%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

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

$23.0K ZWL 613.8K

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

$58.0 ZWL 1,547

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

-19.03%

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

$17.53 ZWL 468

$18.35 ZWL 490

-4.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.1 ZWL 2,456

$134 ZWL 3,585

-31.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 ZWL 1,442

$25.50 ZWL 680

111.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 ZWL 380

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 ZWL 270

$9.95 ZWL 265

1.61%

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

$277 ZWL 7,384

$142 ZWL 3,781

95.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,215 ZWL 192.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 ZWL 522

$21.35 ZWL 570

-8.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.55 ZWL 575

$13.38 ZWL 357

61.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.11 ZWL 937

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

-48.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.98 ZWL 1,093

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

-26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.6K

$184 ZWL 4,899

116.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,436

$112 ZWL 2,992

148.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 ZWL 25.5K

$459 ZWL 12.2K

108.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.5K

$414 ZWL 11.1K

67.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 ZWL 24.9K

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

-55.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.4K

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

-81.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ZWL 10.7K

$301 ZWL 8,034

32.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

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

Last update for Harare: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Harare versus $184 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 33% 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 $49.00 in Harare versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $180 – 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 29%, 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 $1,485 per month in Harare and $1,149 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 $990 in Harare and $766 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% 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 $766, than in Harare at $990. 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.