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: $991 in Harare versus $608 in Shurugwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Harare versus $976 in Shurugwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,327 in Harare versus $1,344 in Shurugwi.

Living in Harare is roughly 63% more expensive than Shurugwi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 26% lower, Shurugwi 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.14 ZWL 272

$10.08 ZWL 271

0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 ZWL 1,347

$40.74 ZWL 1,094

23.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 ZWL 189

$7.20 ZWL 193

-2.36%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZWL 77.7

$1.72 ZWL 46.22

68.02%

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

$0.67 ZWL 17.95

$0.66 ZWL 17.74

1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.67

$0.44 ZWL 11.78

6.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 39.53

$1.47 ZWL 39.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$1.97 ZWL 52.9

4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.68

$1.57 ZWL 42.17

3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ZWL 27.54

$0.97 ZWL 26.16

6.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ZWL 50.7

$1.87 ZWL 50.3

1.07%

Eggs

$2.16 ZWL 58.0

$2.11 ZWL 56.6

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZWL 289

$10.83 ZWL 291

-0.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$6.54 ZWL 175

-4.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 168

$6.33 ZWL 170

-1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 ZWL 79.9

$2.90 ZWL 78.0

2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 44.15

$1.64 ZWL 44.12

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ZWL 61.3

$2.21 ZWL 59.2

3.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.55

$1.67 ZWL 44.74

-0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ZWL 40.67

$1.55 ZWL 41.48

-2.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ZWL 53.3

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ZWL 26.22

$1.01 ZWL 27.15

-2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZWL 26.01

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

-3.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

$1.13 ZWL 30.29

-0.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ZWL 247

$8.85 ZWL 238

3.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

$1.18 ZWL 31.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.84

$1.72 ZWL 46.28

-0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZWL 26.15

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.15 ZWL 1,159

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 ZWL 131

$4.97 ZWL 133

-1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 55.1

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

4.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 ZWL 133

$5.12 ZWL 138

-3.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.13

$1.60 ZWL 43.05

-1.88%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.5K

$19.6K ZWL 526.6K

0.75%

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

$23.9K ZWL 640.7K

$23.6K ZWL 633.9K

1.07%

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

$58.6 ZWL 1,573

$57.4 ZWL 1,540

2.14%

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

$17.79 ZWL 478

$17.87 ZWL 480

-0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.2 ZWL 2,501

$91.7 ZWL 2,462

1.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ZWL 1,437

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.20 ZWL 381

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ZWL 267

$9.96 ZWL 267

-0.30%

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

$283 ZWL 7,599

$273 ZWL 7,319

3.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,356 ZWL 197.5K

$7,382 ZWL 198.2K

-0.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZWL 510

$19.24 ZWL 517

-1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.04 ZWL 565

$21.47 ZWL 577

-2.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.77 ZWL 934

$34.91 ZWL 937

-0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ZWL 1,075

$40.94 ZWL 1,099

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ZWL 7,527

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 ZWL 25.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ZWL 18.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$899 ZWL 24.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 ZWL 10.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.6K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $50.0 in Harare vs $41.00 in Shurugwi. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $219, 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,486 in Harare and $913 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% 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 $608 in Shurugwi – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $608 in Shurugwi versus $991 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 63% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.