Cost of Living Comparison Between Karoi and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Karoi and Bulawayo

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ZWL 117

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.54 ZWL 788

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ZWL 130

Cappuccino

$2.16 ZWL 57.7

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

$0.48 ZWL 12.69

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ZWL 9.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 39.19

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ZWL 53.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ZWL 42.84

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.09

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZWL 42.00

Eggs

$1.91 ZWL 50.9

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ZWL 264

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 ZWL 108

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.45 ZWL 119

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ZWL 49.64

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ZWL 41.00

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 ZWL 65.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 ZWL 28.00

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ZWL 33.79

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ZWL 38.12

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ZWL 29.05

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ZWL 21.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.46 ZWL 38.86

Wine (Bottle)

$5.03 ZWL 134

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ZWL 37.77

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ZWL 49.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ZWL 19.21

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.57 ZWL 788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ZWL 79.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 ZWL 134

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZWL 43.53

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

$24.8K ZWL 661.5K

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

$24.6K ZWL 655.0K

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

$93.8 ZWL 2,500

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

$17.70 ZWL 472

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$108 ZWL 2,869

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.82 ZWL 822

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.32 ZWL 542

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 ZWL 264

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

$227 ZWL 6,045

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,455 ZWL 92.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.94 ZWL 558

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.70 ZWL 312

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.69 ZWL 1,218

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.2 ZWL 1,579

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 ZWL 4,748

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 ZWL 2,837

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ZWL 11.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ZWL 8,585

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,121 ZWL 56.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,039 ZWL 54.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$297 ZWL 7,912

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Karoi: August 16, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: August 17, 2026

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

Karoi vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Karoi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Karoi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bulawayo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.