Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Kwekwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Kwekwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Harare versus $766 in Kwekwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Harare versus $1,507 in Kwekwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,335 in Harare versus $2,248 in Kwekwe.

Living in Harare is roughly 29% more expensive than Kwekwe, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Kwekwe 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 ZWL 271

$9.93 ZWL 266

1.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.12 ZWL 1,315

$49.64 ZWL 1,329

-1.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 ZWL 188

$7.04 ZWL 189

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ZWL 78.1

$3.01 ZWL 80.7

-2.99%

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

$0.68 ZWL 18.12

$0.66 ZWL 17.69

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.59

$0.44 ZWL 11.75

-2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

$1.53 ZWL 41.06

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.48

$1.64 ZWL 43.81

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

$0.65 ZWL 17.34

56.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ZWL 51.7

$1.65 ZWL 44.17

16.97%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

$2.14 ZWL 57.4

-2.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ZWL 291

$10.76 ZWL 288

0.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ZWL 173

$6.39 ZWL 171

1.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$4.08 ZWL 109

52.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.6

$2.94 ZWL 78.7

2.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ZWL 45.09

$1.63 ZWL 43.56

3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ZWL 59.0

$2.17 ZWL 58.1

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.73

$1.71 ZWL 45.66

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.76

$1.57 ZWL 42.07

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

$0.97 ZWL 25.89

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

$1.02 ZWL 27.26

-6.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

$1.07 ZWL 28.63

3.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 ZWL 239

$8.87 ZWL 238

0.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

$1.13 ZWL 30.12

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 47.25

$1.70 ZWL 45.62

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

$0.48 ZWL 12.98

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 ZWL 1,139

$31.56 ZWL 845

34.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 ZWL 135

$5.10 ZWL 137

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

$2.02 ZWL 54.2

-1.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$4.89 ZWL 131

5.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 43.06

$1.55 ZWL 41.48

3.87%

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

$20.0K ZWL 535.8K

$19.6K ZWL 524.8K

2.10%

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

$23.6K ZWL 632.9K

$23.2K ZWL 620.7K

1.97%

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

$57.9 ZWL 1,549

1.71%

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

$17.40 ZWL 466

$17.71 ZWL 474

-1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.1 ZWL 2,519

$91.8 ZWL 2,456

2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ZWL 1,426

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 ZWL 379

Cinema Ticket

$9.94 ZWL 266

$9.93 ZWL 266

0.10%

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

$279 ZWL 7,477

$275 ZWL 7,350

1.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,278 ZWL 194.8K

$7,297 ZWL 195.3K

-0.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.51 ZWL 522

$19.54 ZWL 523

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.18 ZWL 567

$21.24 ZWL 569

-0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 ZWL 916

$34.23 ZWL 916

-0.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ZWL 1,085

$40.35 ZWL 1,080

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$150 ZWL 4,015

168.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,502

$121 ZWL 3,235

131.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 ZWL 25.9K

$594 ZWL 15.9K

62.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.6K

$785 ZWL 21.0K

-11.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$919 ZWL 24.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.5K

$302 ZWL 8,094

29.85%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Kwekwe: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Harare and $150 in Kwekwe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Harare vs $50.0 in Kwekwe. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $208, with Kwekwe cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kwekwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kwekwe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Harare pays 30% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Harare versus $150 in Kwekwe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $279 in Harare versus $275 in Kwekwe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $766 in Kwekwe versus $991 in Harare, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kwekwe but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Kwekwe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kwekwe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.