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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $780 per month in Marondera vs $784 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,200 per month in Marondera vs $1,259 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Marondera vs $1,734 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Marondera is about 1% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Marondera and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Marondera 41% lower, Bulawayo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 ZWL 134

$4.39 ZWL 117

14.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.68 ZWL 1,327

$29.52 ZWL 789

68.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.19 ZWL 192

$5.34 ZWL 143

34.64%

Cappuccino

$1.97 ZWL 52.8

$2.32 ZWL 62.0

-15.09%

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

$0.68 ZWL 18.05

$0.48 ZWL 12.88

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 12.44

$0.43 ZWL 11.49

9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

$1.80 ZWL 48.01

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ZWL 52.1

$2.47 ZWL 66.0

-21.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

$1.56 ZWL 41.80

-35.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.11

$1.00 ZWL 26.81

-2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ZWL 27.02

$1.78 ZWL 47.60

-43.26%

Eggs

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

$1.75 ZWL 46.85

22.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 ZWL 269

$10.45 ZWL 279

-3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$3.84 ZWL 103

33.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.90 ZWL 131

$4.42 ZWL 118

10.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ZWL 79.8

$1.46 ZWL 39.11

104.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ZWL 43.15

$1.47 ZWL 39.32

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$2.23 ZWL 59.6

-8.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 45.27

$1.12 ZWL 29.90

50.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ZWL 40.20

$1.15 ZWL 30.70

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

$1.36 ZWL 36.29

50.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ZWL 26.00

$0.98 ZWL 26.06

-1.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ZWL 24.94

$1.01 ZWL 26.93

-7.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.21

$1.54 ZWL 41.02

-26.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.93 ZWL 105

$5.07 ZWL 135

-22.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZWL 30.34

$1.53 ZWL 41.00

-25.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ZWL 47.99

$2.19 ZWL 58.5

-17.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ZWL 13.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 ZWL 811

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 ZWL 134

$3.08 ZWL 82.2

62.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$2.23 ZWL 59.5

-12.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 ZWL 135

$4.96 ZWL 133

2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 ZWL 41.07

$1.66 ZWL 44.42

-7.23%

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

$19.8K ZWL 530.2K

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

$23.7K ZWL 633.2K

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,573

$72.5 ZWL 1,936

-18.77%

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

$17.57 ZWL 469

$18.00 ZWL 481

-2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.1 ZWL 2,514

$135 ZWL 3,618

-30.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 ZWL 667

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 ZWL 263

$10.17 ZWL 272

-3.34%

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

$274 ZWL 7,322

$140 ZWL 3,734

96.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,385 ZWL 197.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.28 ZWL 515

$21.40 ZWL 572

-9.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.07 ZWL 563

$13.10 ZWL 350

60.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.05 ZWL 937

$69.7 ZWL 1,862

-49.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.91 ZWL 1,066

$55.3 ZWL 1,478

-27.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ZWL 6,646

$183 ZWL 4,881

36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ZWL 6,762

$109 ZWL 2,904

132.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$473 ZWL 12.6K

-14.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ZWL 9,453

$420 ZWL 11.2K

-15.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,089 ZWL 55.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,041 ZWL 54.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$294 ZWL 7,865

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Marondera versus $183 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 $50.0 in Marondera versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $179 – 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 – Bulawayo is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,169 per month in Marondera and $1,176 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marondera, 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 $780 in Marondera and $784 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $274 per month in Marondera and $140 in Bulawayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $780 in Marondera and $784 in Bulawayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Marondera – 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 Marondera. 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.