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: $1,046 in Harare versus $578 in Shurugwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,730 in Harare versus $954 in Shurugwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,414 in Harare versus $1,331 in Shurugwi.

Living in Harare is roughly 81% more expensive than in Shurugwi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Harare 24% lower, Shurugwi 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 ZWL 272

$10.08 ZWL 271

0.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.49 ZWL 1,060

$39.22 ZWL 1,053

0.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 ZWL 158

$5.86 ZWL 157

0.51%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ZWL 83.5

$1.73 ZWL 46.37

79.77%

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

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

$0.93 ZWL 25.04

7.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZWL 14.07

$0.53 ZWL 14.15

-1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 ZWL 39.92

$1.47 ZWL 39.56

1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

-1.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ZWL 40.93

$1.51 ZWL 40.45

0.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 ZWL 27.84

$0.98 ZWL 26.38

6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.51

$1.62 ZWL 43.60

4.94%

Eggs

$1.95 ZWL 52.2

$1.86 ZWL 50.0

4.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ZWL 323

$12.18 ZWL 327

-1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.66 ZWL 152

$5.44 ZWL 146

4.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 ZWL 181

$6.63 ZWL 178

1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 ZWL 82.1

$3.03 ZWL 81.5

0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ZWL 45.12

$1.65 ZWL 44.34

1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 ZWL 55.8

$2.06 ZWL 55.3

0.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ZWL 39.67

$1.49 ZWL 39.96

-0.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 ZWL 46.54

$1.65 ZWL 44.40

4.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 ZWL 48.16

$1.85 ZWL 49.65

-3.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 ZWL 32.47

$1.21 ZWL 32.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZWL 26.82

$1.00 ZWL 26.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 ZWL 52.9

$2.03 ZWL 54.4

-2.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.19 ZWL 247

$9.05 ZWL 243

1.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 ZWL 36.51

$1.42 ZWL 38.10

-4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.5

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

1.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZWL 27.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 ZWL 1,596

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 ZWL 108

$4.10 ZWL 110

-1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$1.99 ZWL 53.4

3.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 ZWL 134

$4.95 ZWL 133

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 ZWL 50.1

$1.77 ZWL 47.61

5.65%

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

$22.2K ZWL 595.5K

$21.9K ZWL 589.1K

1.10%

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

$27.2K ZWL 729.7K

$27.5K ZWL 739.2K

-1.29%

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

$55.1 ZWL 1,479

$53.3 ZWL 1,430

3.38%

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

$22.06 ZWL 592

$21.86 ZWL 587

0.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 ZWL 1,815

$66.2 ZWL 1,778

2.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.71 ZWL 1,335

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.67 ZWL 609

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 ZWL 265

$9.92 ZWL 266

-0.50%

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

$459 ZWL 12.3K

-0.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,938 ZWL 240.0K

$8,854 ZWL 237.7K

0.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 ZWL 664

$24.04 ZWL 646

2.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.99 ZWL 563

$20.79 ZWL 558

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.49 ZWL 1,060

$39.46 ZWL 1,060

0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.14 ZWL 1,131

$42.62 ZWL 1,144

-1.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 ZWL 10.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 ZWL 8,437

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ZWL 22.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 ZWL 20.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$937 ZWL 25.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 ZWL 10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$428 ZWL 11.5K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Shurugwi: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Harare vs $39.00 in Shurugwi. Groceries flip the comparison at $221 vs $218, with Shurugwi 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,569 in Harare and $866 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 1% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,046 per month in Harare versus $578 in Shurugwi – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $578 in Shurugwi versus $1,046 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 81% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.