Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Marondera Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Marondera

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $991 in Harare versus $806 in Marondera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Harare versus $1,192 in Marondera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,335 in Harare versus $1,577 in Marondera.

Living in Harare is roughly 23% more expensive than Marondera, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Marondera 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.11 ZWL 271

$5.07 ZWL 136

99.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.12 ZWL 1,315

$51.0 ZWL 1,365

-3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 ZWL 188

$7.11 ZWL 190

-1.41%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ZWL 78.1

$2.04 ZWL 54.6

43.14%

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

$0.68 ZWL 18.12

$0.67 ZWL 17.93

1.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.59

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

$1.53 ZWL 40.95

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

-1.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.48

$1.02 ZWL 27.35

58.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

$1.01 ZWL 27.15

0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 ZWL 51.7

$0.99 ZWL 26.41

94.95%

Eggs

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

-2.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ZWL 291

$10.15 ZWL 272

7.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 ZWL 173

$4.86 ZWL 130

32.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$5.04 ZWL 135

23.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ZWL 80.6

$2.99 ZWL 80.1

0.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ZWL 45.09

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 ZWL 59.0

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.73

$1.66 ZWL 44.51

3.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ZWL 39.76

$1.55 ZWL 41.51

-3.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

4.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

$1.01 ZWL 27.05

-5.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

$1.13 ZWL 30.18

-1.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 ZWL 239

$3.88 ZWL 104

130.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

$1.17 ZWL 31.24

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ZWL 47.25

$1.80 ZWL 48.10

-1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 ZWL 1,139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 ZWL 135

$4.92 ZWL 132

2.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$4.96 ZWL 133

3.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 43.06

$1.57 ZWL 41.98

2.55%

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

$20.0K ZWL 535.8K

$19.8K ZWL 529.9K

1.12%

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

$23.6K ZWL 632.9K

$23.7K ZWL 633.7K

-0.13%

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

$59.3 ZWL 1,586

-0.69%

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

$17.40 ZWL 466

$17.78 ZWL 476

-2.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.1 ZWL 2,519

$93.5 ZWL 2,502

0.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ZWL 1,426

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 ZWL 379

Cinema Ticket

$9.94 ZWL 266

$10.04 ZWL 269

-1.00%

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

$279 ZWL 7,477

$282 ZWL 7,551

-0.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,278 ZWL 194.8K

$7,218 ZWL 193.2K

0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.51 ZWL 522

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.18 ZWL 567

$21.70 ZWL 581

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.22 ZWL 916

$34.52 ZWL 924

-0.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ZWL 1,085

$40.22 ZWL 1,077

0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$249 ZWL 6,671

61.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,502

$252 ZWL 6,753

11.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 ZWL 25.9K

$403 ZWL 10.8K

139.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.6K

$348 ZWL 9,306

100.00%

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

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 Marondera: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Harare and $249 in Marondera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Harare vs $51.0 in Marondera. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $186, with Marondera 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 Marondera: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marondera is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,487 in Harare and $1,209 in Marondera to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $403 in Harare versus $249 in Marondera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $991 per month in Harare versus $806 in Marondera – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in Marondera versus $991 in Harare, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marondera but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Marondera 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 Marondera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.