Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Shurugwi Cost of Living Comparison Between Harare and Shurugwi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $990 in Harare versus $615 in Shurugwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,688 in Harare versus $983 in Shurugwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Harare versus $1,350 in Shurugwi.

Living in Harare is roughly 61% more expensive than in Shurugwi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Shurugwi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.92 ZWL 265

$9.86 ZWL 263

0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.31 ZWL 1,316

$40.38 ZWL 1,077

22.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 ZWL 189

$7.10 ZWL 189

-0.14%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ZWL 78.9

$1.66 ZWL 44.38

78.31%

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

$0.70 ZWL 18.70

$0.66 ZWL 17.52

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.36

$0.44 ZWL 11.61

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.70

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

1.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.01

$1.62 ZWL 43.25

-3.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 25.93

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

-4.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.50

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

-4.62%

Eggs

$2.10 ZWL 55.9

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

-1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ZWL 289

$10.86 ZWL 290

-0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ZWL 166

$6.31 ZWL 168

-1.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.21 ZWL 166

$6.24 ZWL 166

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 ZWL 76.6

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

-5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.01

$1.63 ZWL 43.52

3.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ZWL 57.9

$2.18 ZWL 58.2

-0.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.39

$1.71 ZWL 45.75

-0.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.36

$1.50 ZWL 40.13

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 ZWL 53.3

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

-2.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ZWL 27.49

$1.04 ZWL 27.63

-0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ZWL 25.31

$0.94 ZWL 25.09

1.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.08 ZWL 28.83

$1.13 ZWL 30.15

-4.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 ZWL 249

$9.47 ZWL 253

-1.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.12 ZWL 29.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.70

$1.71 ZWL 45.55

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ZWL 26.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.84 ZWL 1,116

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 133

$5.08 ZWL 135

-1.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.9

$1.94 ZWL 51.9

2.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 ZWL 134

$4.99 ZWL 133

0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.37

$1.53 ZWL 40.93

1.31%

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

$19.9K ZWL 531.5K

$19.8K ZWL 527.7K

0.72%

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

$23.0K ZWL 613.8K

$23.7K ZWL 631.4K

-2.79%

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

$58.0 ZWL 1,547

$58.9 ZWL 1,570

-1.50%

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

$17.53 ZWL 468

$17.82 ZWL 475

-1.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$92.1 ZWL 2,456

$90.8 ZWL 2,424

1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 ZWL 1,442

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.23 ZWL 380

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 ZWL 270

$9.87 ZWL 263

2.43%

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

$277 ZWL 7,384

$281 ZWL 7,488

-1.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,215 ZWL 192.5K

$7,402 ZWL 197.5K

-2.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 ZWL 522

$19.35 ZWL 516

1.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.55 ZWL 575

$21.53 ZWL 574

0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.11 ZWL 937

$35.24 ZWL 940

-0.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.98 ZWL 1,093

$39.57 ZWL 1,056

3.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 ZWL 10.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ZWL 7,436

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 ZWL 25.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZWL 18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 ZWL 24.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ZWL 10.7K

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 12, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $49.00 in Harare vs $40.00 in Shurugwi. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $220, with Harare 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 Shurugwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shurugwi is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,485 in Harare and $922 in Shurugwi 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.

Shoppers in Harare pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $990 per month in Harare versus $615 in Shurugwi – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $615 in Shurugwi versus $990 in Harare, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shurugwi but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Shurugwi 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 Shurugwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.