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: $1,002 in Harare versus $761 in Kwekwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,678 in Harare versus $1,510 in Kwekwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,354 in Harare versus $2,259 in Kwekwe.

Living in Harare is roughly 32% more expensive than in Kwekwe, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 25% lower, Kwekwe 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.10 ZWL 269

$9.82 ZWL 262

2.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 ZWL 1,317

$49.96 ZWL 1,333

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 ZWL 192

$7.04 ZWL 188

2.27%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ZWL 78.6

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

-2.64%

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

$0.71 ZWL 18.86

$0.72 ZWL 19.31

-1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.35

$0.44 ZWL 11.69

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ZWL 39.53

$1.48 ZWL 39.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

$2.03 ZWL 54.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 42.70

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.34

$0.60 ZWL 16.07

70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 ZWL 50.7

$1.67 ZWL 44.66

13.77%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 55.8

$2.16 ZWL 57.7

-3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ZWL 293

$11.12 ZWL 297

-1.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ZWL 175

$6.39 ZWL 170

2.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.25 ZWL 167

$3.91 ZWL 104

59.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ZWL 80.6

$2.93 ZWL 78.1

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.63

$1.62 ZWL 43.19

3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ZWL 59.9

$2.29 ZWL 61.2

-2.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 43.77

$1.70 ZWL 45.45

-3.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.87

$1.50 ZWL 39.98

-0.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-2.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

$0.96 ZWL 25.59

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZWL 27.44

$0.96 ZWL 25.69

7.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.19

$1.07 ZWL 28.67

5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 ZWL 248

$9.33 ZWL 249

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.57

$1.18 ZWL 31.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 46.32

$1.74 ZWL 46.30

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZWL 27.43

$0.48 ZWL 12.90

114.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 ZWL 1,125

$32.09 ZWL 856

31.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$4.88 ZWL 130

5.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZWL 136

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.15

$1.59 ZWL 42.43

1.89%

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

$19.7K ZWL 526.1K

$20.0K ZWL 534.8K

-1.63%

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

$23.6K ZWL 629.1K

$23.7K ZWL 631.9K

-0.44%

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

$59.4 ZWL 1,585

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

2.36%

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

$17.75 ZWL 474

$17.75 ZWL 473

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.8 ZWL 2,501

$91.6 ZWL 2,443

2.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 ZWL 1,434

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 ZWL 383

Cinema Ticket

$9.84 ZWL 263

$9.94 ZWL 265

-1.01%

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

$273 ZWL 7,285

$276 ZWL 7,368

-1.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,310 ZWL 195.0K

$7,457 ZWL 199.0K

-1.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.62 ZWL 523

$19.70 ZWL 525

-0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.62 ZWL 577

$21.25 ZWL 567

1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.26 ZWL 941

$34.20 ZWL 912

3.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.29 ZWL 1,075

$40.66 ZWL 1,085

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ZWL 10.8K

$152 ZWL 4,049

166.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,435

$119 ZWL 3,162

135.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 ZWL 26.0K

$593 ZWL 15.8K

64.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$706 ZWL 18.8K

$797 ZWL 21.3K

-11.42%

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

$302 ZWL 8,066

32.74%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kwekwe: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Harare and $152 in Kwekwe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 33% 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 $222 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 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Harare, 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: $405 in Harare versus $152 in Kwekwe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $273 in Harare versus $276 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.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kwekwe gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 32% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.