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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $991 per month in Harare vs $780 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Harare vs $1,257 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,327 per month in Harare vs $1,735 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Harare costs about 27% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Harare and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Harare 26% lower, Bulawayo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ZWL 272

$4.57 ZWL 123

121.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 ZWL 1,347

$30.15 ZWL 810

66.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 ZWL 189

$5.52 ZWL 148

27.36%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZWL 77.7

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

20.42%

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

$0.67 ZWL 17.95

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

39.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.67

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 39.53

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

-18.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.68

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.54

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

1.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ZWL 50.7

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

6.18%

Eggs

$2.16 ZWL 58.0

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZWL 289

$10.44 ZWL 280

3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$3.92 ZWL 105

59.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$4.37 ZWL 117

42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ZWL 79.9

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

92.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 44.15

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.55

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

46.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.67

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

27.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.3

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

46.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

-8.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

-24.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ZWL 247

$4.94 ZWL 133

85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.84

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

-21.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 26.15

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

86.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.15 ZWL 1,159

$30.35 ZWL 815

42.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

66.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 55.1

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

-10.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.13

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

-5.42%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.5K

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

$23.9K ZWL 640.7K

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

$58.6 ZWL 1,573

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

-19.22%

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

$17.79 ZWL 478

$18.20 ZWL 489

-2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.2 ZWL 2,501

$133 ZWL 3,572

-29.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ZWL 1,437

$25.22 ZWL 677

112.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ZWL 381

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 267

$9.83 ZWL 264

1.02%

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

$283 ZWL 7,599

$138 ZWL 3,692

105.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 ZWL 197.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZWL 510

$22.07 ZWL 593

-13.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.04 ZWL 565

$13.37 ZWL 359

57.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.77 ZWL 934

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

-48.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ZWL 1,075

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

-26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$184 ZWL 4,931

119.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,527

$111 ZWL 2,993

151.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 ZWL 25.3K

$466 ZWL 12.5K

102.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ZWL 18.5K

$409 ZWL 11.0K

68.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$899 ZWL 24.1K

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

-56.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.5K

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

-81.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.6K

$302 ZWL 8,116

30.14%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 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 30% 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 $50.0 in Harare versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 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

Harare vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Harare is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,486 per month in Harare and $1,170 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 $991 in Harare and $780 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 42% 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 $780, than in Harare at $991. 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.