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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Harare vs $607 in Gweru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,707 per month in Harare vs $1,089 in Gweru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,399 per month in Harare vs $1,572 in Gweru, rent included.

Harare costs about 68% more than Gweru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Harare and Gweru are more affordable than the global median – Harare 24% lower, Gweru 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.17 ZWL 272

$2.46 ZWL 65.8

313.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 ZWL 1,343

$50.8 ZWL 1,356

-0.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 ZWL 186

$5.96 ZWL 159

17.28%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ZWL 80.0

$2.75 ZWL 73.3

9.09%

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

$0.66 ZWL 17.54

$0.48 ZWL 12.68

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.32

$0.44 ZWL 11.67

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.71

$1.53 ZWL 40.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$1.03 ZWL 27.41

90.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.71

$1.54 ZWL 41.20

3.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.13

$1.02 ZWL 27.28

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

$1.94 ZWL 51.9

-2.06%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 55.8

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 ZWL 295

$10.74 ZWL 287

2.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 ZWL 176

$3.73 ZWL 99.7

76.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 ZWL 170

$5.47 ZWL 146

16.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ZWL 77.1

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

45.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.34

$1.71 ZWL 45.58

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ZWL 58.8

$2.06 ZWL 55.0

6.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.50

$0.98 ZWL 26.19

70.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ZWL 40.06

$1.50 ZWL 40.10

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 54.9

$0.99 ZWL 26.39

108.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ZWL 27.72

$0.94 ZWL 25.21

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ZWL 24.94

$1.02 ZWL 27.21

-8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.88

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 ZWL 244

$9.18 ZWL 245

-0.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 30.02

$1.17 ZWL 31.35

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$1.80 ZWL 47.99

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 25.94

$0.48 ZWL 12.69

102.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.89 ZWL 1,145

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$5.06 ZWL 135

-1.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 ZWL 53.0

$0.88 ZWL 23.59

126.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 ZWL 136

$5.06 ZWL 135

0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 43.04

$1.55 ZWL 41.30

3.87%

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

$20.0K ZWL 534.3K

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

0.52%

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

$23.1K ZWL 616.8K

$23.2K ZWL 619.4K

-0.43%

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

$58.7 ZWL 1,566

$30.55 ZWL 815

92.05%

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

$17.57 ZWL 469

$17.26 ZWL 461

1.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 ZWL 2,423

$94.1 ZWL 2,512

-3.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ZWL 1,399

$40.72 ZWL 1,087

28.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZWL 373

$1.94 ZWL 51.8

621.13%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 ZWL 268

$10.17 ZWL 271

-1.08%

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

$279 ZWL 7,433

$247 ZWL 6,604

12.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 ZWL 192.3K

$5,705 ZWL 152.3K

26.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.58 ZWL 523

$19.20 ZWL 513

1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.97 ZWL 560

$20.26 ZWL 541

3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.12 ZWL 937

$35.10 ZWL 937

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.69 ZWL 1,059

$40.69 ZWL 1,086

-2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.6K

$151 ZWL 4,034

163.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ZWL 7,325

$69.2 ZWL 1,848

296.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ZWL 26.1K

$553 ZWL 14.8K

76.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ZWL 18.8K

$296 ZWL 7,910

137.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$897 ZWL 23.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.5K

$252 ZWL 6,716

56.18%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Gweru: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $398 in Harare versus $151 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 56% 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 $51.0 in Gweru. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Harare vs $192 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: $1,016 in Harare, $607 in Gweru – roughly 68% apart. Harare costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,524 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 $1,016 in Harare and $607 in Gweru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $279 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 $1,016. 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.