Cost of Living Comparison Between Marondera and Harare Cost of Living Comparison Between Marondera and Harare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $806 in Marondera versus $991 in Harare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,192 in Marondera versus $1,663 in Harare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,577 in Marondera versus $2,335 in Harare.

Living in Marondera costs roughly 19% less than in Harare, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Marondera 40% lower, Harare 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 ZWL 136

$10.11 ZWL 271

-49.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 ZWL 1,365

$49.12 ZWL 1,315

3.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 ZWL 190

$7.01 ZWL 188

1.43%

Cappuccino

$2.04 ZWL 54.6

$2.92 ZWL 78.1

-30.14%

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

$0.67 ZWL 17.93

$0.68 ZWL 18.12

-1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ZWL 11.58

$0.43 ZWL 11.59

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.95

$1.52 ZWL 40.73

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ZWL 52.4

$1.94 ZWL 52.0

1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ZWL 27.35

$1.62 ZWL 43.48

-37.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 ZWL 27.15

$1.02 ZWL 27.41

-0.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.41

$1.93 ZWL 51.7

-48.70%

Eggs

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

$2.09 ZWL 56.0

2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ZWL 272

$10.86 ZWL 291

-6.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ZWL 130

$6.46 ZWL 173

-24.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.04 ZWL 135

$6.21 ZWL 166

-18.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 ZWL 80.1

$3.01 ZWL 80.6

-0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZWL 44.13

$1.68 ZWL 45.09

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.9

$2.20 ZWL 59.0

-6.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ZWL 44.51

$1.71 ZWL 45.73

-2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.51

$1.49 ZWL 39.76

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZWL 52.7

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

-4.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.06

$1.03 ZWL 27.55

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 27.05

$0.95 ZWL 25.47

6.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.18

$1.11 ZWL 29.74

1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.88 ZWL 104

$8.94 ZWL 239

-56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.24

$1.12 ZWL 30.03

4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ZWL 48.10

$1.77 ZWL 47.25

1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZWL 27.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 ZWL 1,139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ZWL 132

$5.05 ZWL 135

-2.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 ZWL 52.6

$1.98 ZWL 53.1

-0.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 ZWL 133

$5.14 ZWL 137

-3.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 41.98

$1.61 ZWL 43.06

-2.48%

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

$19.8K ZWL 529.9K

$20.0K ZWL 535.8K

-1.11%

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

$23.7K ZWL 633.7K

$23.6K ZWL 632.9K

0.13%

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

$59.3 ZWL 1,586

$58.9 ZWL 1,576

0.70%

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

$17.78 ZWL 476

$17.40 ZWL 466

2.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.5 ZWL 2,502

$94.1 ZWL 2,519

-0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 ZWL 1,426

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 ZWL 379

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 ZWL 269

$9.94 ZWL 266

1.01%

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

$282 ZWL 7,551

$279 ZWL 7,477

1.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,218 ZWL 193.2K

$7,278 ZWL 194.8K

-0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.51 ZWL 522

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.70 ZWL 581

$21.18 ZWL 567

2.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.52 ZWL 924

$34.22 ZWL 916

0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.22 ZWL 1,077

$40.55 ZWL 1,085

-0.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$249 ZWL 6,671

$403 ZWL 10.8K

-38.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 ZWL 6,753

$280 ZWL 7,502

-9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ZWL 10.8K

$967 ZWL 25.9K

-58.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 ZWL 9,306

$695 ZWL 18.6K

-50.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$919 ZWL 24.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 ZWL 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ZWL 10.5K

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 Harare: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $249 in Marondera and $403 in Harare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Marondera vs $49.00 in Harare. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $220, with Marondera cheaper for home cooking.

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 Harare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marondera is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,209 in Marondera and $1,487 in Harare to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $249 in Marondera versus $403 in Harare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Harare. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $806 per month in Marondera versus $991 in Harare – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $806 in Marondera versus $991 in Harare, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marondera but tight or insufficient in Harare. The gap between the two cities makes Marondera the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Marondera gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Harare. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.