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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $794 per month in Marondera vs $787 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Marondera vs $1,255 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,636 per month in Marondera vs $1,724 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Marondera costs about 1% more 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

$4.93 ZWL 125

$4.56 ZWL 115

8.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 ZWL 1,288

$30.25 ZWL 765

68.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 ZWL 178

$5.44 ZWL 138

29.41%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ZWL 52.0

$2.35 ZWL 59.4

-12.34%

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

$0.70 ZWL 17.76

$0.52 ZWL 13.24

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZWL 11.84

$0.41 ZWL 10.36

14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 38.71

$1.78 ZWL 45.03

-14.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ZWL 52.0

$2.44 ZWL 61.8

-15.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 ZWL 24.75

$1.57 ZWL 39.74

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 25.76

$1.02 ZWL 25.72

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 25.91

$1.79 ZWL 45.40

-43.02%

Eggs

$2.15 ZWL 54.4

$1.76 ZWL 44.44

22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 ZWL 254

$10.31 ZWL 261

-2.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 ZWL 130

$3.93 ZWL 99.5

30.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 ZWL 129

$4.29 ZWL 108

18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 ZWL 76.6

$1.53 ZWL 38.63

98.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZWL 42.68

$1.49 ZWL 37.63

13.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ZWL 49.49

$2.26 ZWL 57.1

-13.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 41.42

$1.07 ZWL 27.00

53.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 39.29

$1.14 ZWL 28.96

35.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 ZWL 50.7

$1.33 ZWL 33.72

50.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ZWL 25.35

$0.98 ZWL 24.90

2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZWL 25.30

$1.01 ZWL 25.53

-0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.07 ZWL 27.03

$1.51 ZWL 38.23

-29.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.89 ZWL 98.5

$5.11 ZWL 129

-23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 28.31

$1.52 ZWL 38.51

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZWL 43.99

$2.21 ZWL 55.9

-21.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ZWL 12.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.44 ZWL 770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ZWL 124

$2.98 ZWL 75.3

65.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ZWL 51.1

$2.18 ZWL 55.2

-7.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 ZWL 124

$4.99 ZWL 126

-1.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 38.79

$1.68 ZWL 42.46

-8.93%

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

$19.8K ZWL 501.5K

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

$23.5K ZWL 595.7K

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

$59.3 ZWL 1,501

$70.0 ZWL 1,772

-15.28%

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

$17.50 ZWL 443

$18.64 ZWL 472

-6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 ZWL 2,298

$132 ZWL 3,333

-31.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.33 ZWL 641

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 ZWL 256

$9.98 ZWL 252

1.30%

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

$282 ZWL 7,144

$143 ZWL 3,608

97.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,244 ZWL 183.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.22 ZWL 486

$22.01 ZWL 557

-12.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.21 ZWL 537

$13.42 ZWL 339

58.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.97 ZWL 885

$68.0 ZWL 1,721

-48.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.93 ZWL 1,010

$55.9 ZWL 1,413

-28.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ZWL 6,247

$181 ZWL 4,587

36.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ZWL 6,263

$112 ZWL 2,822

121.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ZWL 9,935

$468 ZWL 11.8K

-16.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ZWL 9,017

$409 ZWL 10.3K

-12.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,058 ZWL 52.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,038 ZWL 51.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 7,635

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Marondera versus $181 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 $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 – Marondera 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 $1,190 per month in Marondera and $1,180 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 $794 in Marondera and $787 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 $143 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 $794 in Marondera and $787 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.