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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Harare costs about 67% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ZWL 269

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

310.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 ZWL 1,317

$51.0 ZWL 1,360

-3.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 ZWL 192

$6.12 ZWL 163

17.65%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ZWL 78.6

$2.78 ZWL 74.2

6.12%

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

$0.71 ZWL 18.86

$0.48 ZWL 12.91

47.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

$0.47 ZWL 12.51

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.53

$1.46 ZWL 39.06

1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

99.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.70

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

5.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

$1.86 ZWL 49.75

2.15%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 55.8

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

6.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ZWL 293

$10.93 ZWL 292

0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ZWL 175

$3.71 ZWL 99.1

76.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 ZWL 167

$5.60 ZWL 149

11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.6

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.63

$1.69 ZWL 44.96

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ZWL 59.9

$2.04 ZWL 54.5

9.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.77

$1.02 ZWL 27.14

60.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.87

$1.56 ZWL 41.68

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

103.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.19

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 ZWL 248

$9.22 ZWL 246

0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.57

$1.18 ZWL 31.60

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.32

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

1.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

$0.51 ZWL 13.61

101.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 ZWL 1,125

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$5.07 ZWL 135

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$0.88 ZWL 23.48

122.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

$5.11 ZWL 136

-0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.15

$1.56 ZWL 41.52

3.85%

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

$19.7K ZWL 526.1K

$19.7K ZWL 524.5K

0.30%

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

$23.6K ZWL 629.1K

$23.3K ZWL 622.7K

1.03%

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

$59.4 ZWL 1,585

$30.34 ZWL 810

95.85%

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

$17.75 ZWL 474

$17.29 ZWL 461

2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.8 ZWL 2,501

$91.7 ZWL 2,448

2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ZWL 1,434

$39.76 ZWL 1,061

35.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ZWL 383

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

632.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 ZWL 263

$10.03 ZWL 268

-1.89%

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

$273 ZWL 7,285

$246 ZWL 6,571

10.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,310 ZWL 195.0K

$5,774 ZWL 154.1K

26.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.62 ZWL 523

$19.73 ZWL 526

-0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 ZWL 577

$20.18 ZWL 538

7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.26 ZWL 941

$34.88 ZWL 931

1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 ZWL 1,075

$39.70 ZWL 1,059

1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ZWL 10.8K

$152 ZWL 4,061

165.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,435

$68.6 ZWL 1,831

306.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ZWL 26.0K

$542 ZWL 14.5K

80.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 ZWL 18.8K

$299 ZWL 7,965

136.61%

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)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$252 ZWL 6,721

59.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.31

90.14%

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

Last update for Harare: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gweru: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $405 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 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 $49.00 in Harare versus $51.0 in Gweru. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Harare vs $193 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: $1,002 in Harare, $601 in Gweru – roughly 67% apart. Harare costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

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

Kindergarten costs $273 per month in Harare and $246 in Gweru. 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 $1,002 in Harare and $601 in Gweru, 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.