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 $747 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Marondera vs $1,184 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,535 per month in Marondera vs $1,620 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Marondera costs about 4% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Marondera and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Marondera 43% lower, Bulawayo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ZWL 131

$4.42 ZWL 118

10.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 ZWL 1,068

$29.78 ZWL 794

34.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ZWL 156

$4.89 ZWL 130

19.63%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$2.15 ZWL 57.4

-8.84%

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

$0.92 ZWL 24.63

$0.48 ZWL 12.66

91.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZWL 14.11

$0.40 ZWL 10.59

32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ZWL 38.93

$1.48 ZWL 39.48

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$2.03 ZWL 54.1

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ZWL 27.18

$1.59 ZWL 42.42

-35.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.01

$1.02 ZWL 27.05

-0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ZWL 27.07

$1.53 ZWL 40.76

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.92 ZWL 51.2

$1.89 ZWL 50.3

1.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 ZWL 269

$9.46 ZWL 252

6.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ZWL 130

$3.99 ZWL 106

21.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.13 ZWL 137

$4.46 ZWL 119

15.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ZWL 83.4

$1.85 ZWL 49.31

69.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ZWL 43.06

$1.60 ZWL 42.76

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$2.48 ZWL 66.2

-17.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ZWL 40.84

$1.00 ZWL 26.70

53.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 ZWL 46.25

$1.21 ZWL 32.36

43.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ZWL 49.95

$1.44 ZWL 38.33

29.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZWL 30.83

$1.10 ZWL 29.32

5.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ZWL 26.42

$0.79 ZWL 21.13

25.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 ZWL 52.2

$1.46 ZWL 38.85

34.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.06 ZWL 108

$5.14 ZWL 137

-21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 ZWL 38.02

$1.40 ZWL 37.30

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ZWL 53.2

$1.92 ZWL 51.1

3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 ZWL 19.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.64 ZWL 790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ZWL 104

$3.04 ZWL 81.1

27.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 ZWL 54.4

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ZWL 131

$4.89 ZWL 130

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 ZWL 47.60

$1.63 ZWL 43.34

9.82%

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

$22.4K ZWL 597.4K

$25.0K ZWL 667.5K

-10.50%

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

$27.5K ZWL 732.6K

$24.5K ZWL 653.1K

12.17%

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

$54.6 ZWL 1,454

$96.4 ZWL 2,569

-43.42%

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

$21.44 ZWL 571

$17.81 ZWL 475

20.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 ZWL 1,762

$110 ZWL 2,922

-39.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.91 ZWL 824

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 ZWL 531

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 ZWL 268

$9.92 ZWL 264

1.21%

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

$471 ZWL 12.5K

$231 ZWL 6,168

103.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,101 ZWL 242.5K

$3,519 ZWL 93.8K

158.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.40 ZWL 650

$21.48 ZWL 572

13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.82 ZWL 555

$11.53 ZWL 307

80.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.97 ZWL 1,065

$45.41 ZWL 1,210

-11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.33 ZWL 1,101

$58.1 ZWL 1,549

-28.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 ZWL 6,762

$174 ZWL 4,646

45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ZWL 6,753

$109 ZWL 2,915

131.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ZWL 10.8K

0.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ZWL 9,324

$319 ZWL 8,514

9.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,069 ZWL 55.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 ZWL 53.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,045

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

-8.73%

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

Last update for Marondera: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Marondera versus $174 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 $40.00 in Marondera versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $177 – 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 4%, 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 $1,170 per month in Marondera and $1,121 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 $780 in Marondera and $747 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $471 per month in Marondera and $231 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 $780 in Marondera and $747 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.