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: $1,056 in Harare versus $785 in Marondera.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,734 in Harare versus $1,172 in Marondera.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,411 in Harare versus $1,559 in Marondera.

Living in Harare is roughly 35% more expensive than in Marondera, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 23% lower, Marondera 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 ZWL 266

$4.96 ZWL 132

101.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 ZWL 1,063

$39.97 ZWL 1,065

-0.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ZWL 156

$6.08 ZWL 162

-3.78%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ZWL 85.1

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

55.61%

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

$0.93 ZWL 24.81

$1.00 ZWL 26.77

-7.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.02

$0.53 ZWL 14.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ZWL 40.36

$1.53 ZWL 40.84

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 ZWL 52.8

$2.02 ZWL 53.8

-1.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 40.97

$0.99 ZWL 26.38

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.29

$1.03 ZWL 27.45

-0.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 44.93

$0.97 ZWL 25.87

74.23%

Eggs

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$1.85 ZWL 49.24

5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.86 ZWL 316

$10.07 ZWL 268

17.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 ZWL 146

$4.96 ZWL 132

10.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.76 ZWL 180

$5.02 ZWL 134

34.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ZWL 81.0

$3.15 ZWL 83.9

-3.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZWL 42.51

$1.67 ZWL 44.57

-4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$1.94 ZWL 51.7

5.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.40

$1.46 ZWL 38.81

1.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

$1.65 ZWL 43.99

4.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.31

$1.80 ZWL 47.85

0.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ZWL 32.56

$1.22 ZWL 32.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

$1.04 ZWL 27.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$1.98 ZWL 52.7

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ZWL 236

$3.97 ZWL 106

122.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ZWL 37.40

$1.38 ZWL 36.75

1.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 53.1

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

-1.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 ZWL 1,598

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 ZWL 106

$4.11 ZWL 110

-3.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 54.8

$2.01 ZWL 53.6

2.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 137

$4.94 ZWL 132

4.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 ZWL 48.96

$1.80 ZWL 47.99

2.22%

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

$22.3K ZWL 594.0K

$22.0K ZWL 587.4K

1.12%

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

$27.0K ZWL 719.2K

$27.7K ZWL 737.3K

-2.46%

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

$54.3 ZWL 1,448

$53.6 ZWL 1,429

1.31%

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

$21.37 ZWL 569

$21.55 ZWL 574

-0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 ZWL 1,814

$67.1 ZWL 1,789

1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 ZWL 1,320

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.14 ZWL 590

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 262

$9.86 ZWL 263

-0.30%

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

$459 ZWL 12.2K

$453 ZWL 12.1K

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,889 ZWL 236.9K

$9,201 ZWL 245.2K

-3.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.99 ZWL 639

$24.22 ZWL 645

-0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.48 ZWL 573

$21.31 ZWL 568

0.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.84 ZWL 1,062

$40.31 ZWL 1,074

-1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.34 ZWL 1,102

$41.21 ZWL 1,098

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ZWL 10.7K

$253 ZWL 6,743

58.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 ZWL 8,400

$249 ZWL 6,637

26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ZWL 22.3K

$392 ZWL 10.5K

113.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 ZWL 19.9K

$348 ZWL 9,276

114.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 ZWL 24.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$422 ZWL 11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Harare: September 12, 2026

Last update for Marondera: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Harare and $253 in Marondera. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Harare vs $40.00 in Marondera. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $187, 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,584 in Harare and $1,177 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: $401 in Harare versus $253 in Marondera. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,056 per month in Harare versus $785 in Marondera – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $785 in Marondera versus $1,056 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 35% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.