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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Harare costs about 76% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 ZWL 266

$3.71 ZWL 98.7

169.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 ZWL 1,063

$39.57 ZWL 1,055

0.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ZWL 156

$6.13 ZWL 163

-4.57%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ZWL 85.1

$2.86 ZWL 76.3

11.54%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

$0.49 ZWL 12.96

89.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.02

$0.38 ZWL 10.22

39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

$1.28 ZWL 34.04

17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$1.74 ZWL 46.24

13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

$1.47 ZWL 39.09

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

$1.03 ZWL 27.40

-0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 44.93

$1.70 ZWL 45.30

-0.59%

Eggs

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$1.93 ZWL 51.4

1.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 ZWL 316

$11.92 ZWL 318

-0.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 ZWL 146

$3.87 ZWL 103

41.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 ZWL 180

$5.35 ZWL 142

26.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

$1.97 ZWL 52.5

54.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.51

$1.63 ZWL 43.40

-1.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.40

$0.97 ZWL 25.88

52.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$1.64 ZWL 43.73

5.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.31

$0.97 ZWL 25.98

86.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

$1.20 ZWL 32.06

1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

$1.01 ZWL 26.95

2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ZWL 236

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.40

$1.38 ZWL 36.65

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$2.03 ZWL 54.0

-1.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$0.52 ZWL 13.76

94.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 ZWL 1,598

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 ZWL 106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

$0.86 ZWL 22.79

139.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$4.89 ZWL 130

5.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ZWL 48.96

$1.67 ZWL 44.45

10.18%

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

$22.3K ZWL 594.0K

$21.8K ZWL 580.0K

2.41%

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

$27.0K ZWL 719.2K

$27.1K ZWL 721.4K

-0.32%

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

$54.3 ZWL 1,448

$29.78 ZWL 794

82.44%

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

$21.37 ZWL 569

$17.05 ZWL 454

25.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 ZWL 1,814

$65.8 ZWL 1,754

3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 ZWL 1,320

$39.36 ZWL 1,049

25.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.14 ZWL 590

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

1029.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 262

$9.89 ZWL 263

-0.61%

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

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$250 ZWL 6,660

83.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,889 ZWL 236.9K

$5,889 ZWL 156.9K

50.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.99 ZWL 639

$24.18 ZWL 644

-0.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.48 ZWL 573

$20.27 ZWL 540

5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.84 ZWL 1,062

$39.75 ZWL 1,059

0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.34 ZWL 1,102

$41.12 ZWL 1,096

0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$152 ZWL 4,058

163.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ZWL 8,400

$68.7 ZWL 1,832

358.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ZWL 22.3K

$546 ZWL 14.6K

52.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 ZWL 19.9K

$302 ZWL 8,052

146.92%

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)

$422 ZWL 11.2K

$249 ZWL 6,641

69.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

95.57%

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

Last update for Harare: September 12, 2026

Last update for Gweru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Harare versus $152 in Gweru. 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 Harare versus $40.00 in Gweru. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Harare vs $195 in Gweru – 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

Harare vs Gweru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,584 per month in Harare and $900 in Gweru. 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 $1,056 in Harare and $600 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $459 per month in Harare and $250 in Gweru. 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.