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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,004 per month in Harare vs $607 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,655 per month in Harare vs $1,097 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,306 per month in Harare vs $1,588 in Gweru, rent included.

Harare costs about 66% 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

$9.90 ZWL 251

$2.45 ZWL 62.0

304.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.08 ZWL 1,242

$50.9 ZWL 1,288

-3.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 ZWL 172

$5.84 ZWL 148

16.44%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ZWL 75.8

$2.73 ZWL 69.1

9.89%

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

$0.66 ZWL 16.72

$0.48 ZWL 12.24

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 11.81

$0.47 ZWL 11.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 37.39

$1.47 ZWL 37.26

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 50.3

$1.03 ZWL 25.97

93.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 40.70

$1.46 ZWL 36.94

10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 25.58

$0.98 ZWL 24.76

3.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 ZWL 48.64

$1.94 ZWL 49.19

-1.03%

Eggs

$2.08 ZWL 52.7

$1.96 ZWL 49.57

6.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 ZWL 280

$10.85 ZWL 275

1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ZWL 165

$3.89 ZWL 98.3

67.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.23 ZWL 158

$5.62 ZWL 142

10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 76.9

$1.95 ZWL 49.22

55.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 43.04

$1.70 ZWL 43.08

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ZWL 56.1

$1.95 ZWL 49.33

13.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 42.07

$1.02 ZWL 25.83

62.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 39.30

$1.56 ZWL 39.44

-0.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 ZWL 50.1

$1.02 ZWL 25.81

94.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ZWL 26.24

$1.02 ZWL 25.73

1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 25.46

$0.94 ZWL 23.77

7.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 27.35

$1.09 ZWL 27.51

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 ZWL 220

$8.73 ZWL 221

-0.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 29.56

$1.18 ZWL 29.81

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ZWL 45.54

$1.70 ZWL 42.99

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 24.78

$0.49 ZWL 12.31

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.32 ZWL 1,071

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 ZWL 128

$5.09 ZWL 129

-0.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 ZWL 49.25

$0.86 ZWL 21.83

126.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 127

$4.90 ZWL 124

2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 40.85

$1.56 ZWL 39.37

3.21%

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

$20.1K ZWL 508.8K

$20.4K ZWL 515.1K

-1.23%

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

$23.3K ZWL 589.4K

$23.8K ZWL 602.2K

-2.13%

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

$57.3 ZWL 1,450

$30.03 ZWL 760

90.91%

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

$17.82 ZWL 451

$16.92 ZWL 428

5.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.1 ZWL 2,355

$94.0 ZWL 2,378

-0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 ZWL 1,332

$40.50 ZWL 1,025

29.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.42 ZWL 365

$1.99 ZWL 50.3

624.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 ZWL 249

$10.10 ZWL 256

-2.48%

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

$275 ZWL 6,952

$247 ZWL 6,243

11.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,312 ZWL 185.0K

$5,912 ZWL 149.6K

23.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.61 ZWL 496

$19.45 ZWL 492

0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.59 ZWL 546

$19.67 ZWL 498

9.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.05 ZWL 862

$34.30 ZWL 868

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.85 ZWL 1,008

$40.90 ZWL 1,035

-2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ZWL 9,941

$147 ZWL 3,726

166.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ZWL 6,936

$68.7 ZWL 1,738

299.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ZWL 24.6K

$561 ZWL 14.2K

73.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 ZWL 17.9K

$297 ZWL 7,515

137.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$892 ZWL 22.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 9,977

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$395 ZWL 9,992

$250 ZWL 6,318

58.15%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Gweru: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Harare versus $147 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 58% 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 – $221 in Harare vs $191 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: $1,004 in Harare, $607 in Gweru – roughly 66% apart. Harare costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,506 per month in Harare and $910 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 $1,004 in Harare and $607 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $275 per month in Harare and $247 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 $607, than in Harare at $1,004. 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.