Cost of Living Comparison Between Marondera and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Marondera and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in Marondera vs $768 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,192 per month in Marondera vs $1,261 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,577 per month in Marondera vs $1,753 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Marondera costs about 5% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Marondera and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Marondera 40% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 ZWL 136

$4.55 ZWL 122

11.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,365

$29.96 ZWL 802

70.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 ZWL 190

$5.59 ZWL 150

27.19%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ZWL 54.6

$2.33 ZWL 62.3

-12.45%

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

$0.67 ZWL 17.93

$0.52 ZWL 13.86

28.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

$0.40 ZWL 10.74

7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.95

$1.70 ZWL 45.48

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$2.45 ZWL 65.6

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ZWL 27.35

$1.55 ZWL 41.54

-34.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.15

$1.00 ZWL 26.83

1.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.41

$1.80 ZWL 48.08

-45.00%

Eggs

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

$1.73 ZWL 46.23

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ZWL 272

$10.40 ZWL 278

-2.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ZWL 130

$3.97 ZWL 106

22.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$4.44 ZWL 119

13.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ZWL 80.1

$1.51 ZWL 40.54

98.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

$1.52 ZWL 40.72

8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

$2.32 ZWL 62.2

-11.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.51

$1.09 ZWL 29.14

52.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.51

$1.20 ZWL 32.15

29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$1.40 ZWL 37.58

40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

$1.01 ZWL 27.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 27.05

$1.01 ZWL 26.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.18

$1.52 ZWL 40.62

-25.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.88 ZWL 104

$5.11 ZWL 137

-24.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.24

$1.54 ZWL 41.35

-24.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ZWL 48.10

$2.12 ZWL 56.7

-15.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ZWL 13.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ZWL 788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ZWL 132

$2.97 ZWL 79.4

65.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

$2.28 ZWL 60.9

-13.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ZWL 133

$5.04 ZWL 135

-1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 41.98

$1.69 ZWL 45.24

-7.10%

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

$19.8K ZWL 529.9K

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

$23.7K ZWL 633.7K

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

$59.3 ZWL 1,586

$70.3 ZWL 1,880

-15.64%

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

$17.78 ZWL 476

$18.25 ZWL 488

-2.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.5 ZWL 2,502

$134 ZWL 3,579

-30.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.90 ZWL 667

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 ZWL 269

$9.93 ZWL 266

1.11%

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

$282 ZWL 7,551

$139 ZWL 3,728

102.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,218 ZWL 193.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.51 ZWL 522

$21.94 ZWL 587

-11.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.70 ZWL 581

$13.26 ZWL 355

63.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.52 ZWL 924

$69.2 ZWL 1,853

-50.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.22 ZWL 1,077

$55.6 ZWL 1,488

-27.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ZWL 6,671

$186 ZWL 4,981

33.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,753

$112 ZWL 3,000

125.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$473 ZWL 12.7K

-14.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ZWL 9,306

$411 ZWL 11.0K

-15.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,131 ZWL 57.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ZWL 54.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZWL 7,914

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 Marondera: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Marondera versus $186 in Bulawayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Marondera versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $180 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Marondera vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Marondera is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,209 per month in Marondera and $1,152 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $806 in Marondera and $768 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $282 per month in Marondera and $139 in Bulawayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $806 in Marondera and $768 in Bulawayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – 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 Bulawayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marondera makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.