Cost of Living Comparison Between Shurugwi and Bulawayo Cost of Living Comparison Between Shurugwi and Bulawayo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $608 per month in Shurugwi vs $780 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $976 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,257 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,344 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,735 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Shurugwi is about 22% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Shurugwi and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Shurugwi 55% lower, Bulawayo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 ZWL 271

$4.57 ZWL 123

120.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.74 ZWL 1,094

$30.15 ZWL 810

35.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 ZWL 193

$5.52 ZWL 148

30.43%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ZWL 46.22

$2.40 ZWL 64.4

-28.33%

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

$0.66 ZWL 17.74

$0.48 ZWL 12.96

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.78

$0.43 ZWL 11.56

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ZWL 39.44

$1.72 ZWL 46.05

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ZWL 52.9

$2.53 ZWL 67.9

-22.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ZWL 42.17

$1.53 ZWL 41.08

2.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 26.16

$1.01 ZWL 27.00

-3.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 ZWL 50.3

$1.78 ZWL 47.74

5.06%

Eggs

$2.11 ZWL 56.6

$1.79 ZWL 48.10

17.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ZWL 291

$10.44 ZWL 280

3.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZWL 175

$3.92 ZWL 105

66.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 ZWL 170

$4.37 ZWL 117

44.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ZWL 78.0

$1.54 ZWL 41.24

88.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ZWL 44.12

$1.48 ZWL 39.69

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ZWL 59.2

$2.22 ZWL 59.5

-0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 ZWL 44.74

$1.13 ZWL 30.22

47.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ZWL 41.48

$1.18 ZWL 31.79

31.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

$1.36 ZWL 36.44

44.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ZWL 27.15

$1.02 ZWL 27.50

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ZWL 27.04

$1.06 ZWL 28.40

-4.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.29

$1.48 ZWL 39.71

-23.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.85 ZWL 238

$4.94 ZWL 133

79.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.61

$1.48 ZWL 39.65

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ZWL 46.28

$2.18 ZWL 58.6

-21.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.35 ZWL 815

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 ZWL 133

$2.94 ZWL 79.1

69.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 ZWL 52.7

$2.28 ZWL 61.2

-14.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ZWL 138

$4.95 ZWL 133

3.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 ZWL 43.05

$1.66 ZWL 44.58

-3.61%

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

$19.6K ZWL 526.6K

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

$23.6K ZWL 633.9K

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

$57.4 ZWL 1,540

$72.5 ZWL 1,947

-20.92%

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

$17.87 ZWL 480

$18.20 ZWL 489

-1.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.7 ZWL 2,462

$133 ZWL 3,572

-31.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 ZWL 677

Cinema Ticket

$9.96 ZWL 267

$9.83 ZWL 264

1.32%

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

$273 ZWL 7,319

$138 ZWL 3,692

98.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,382 ZWL 198.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.24 ZWL 517

$22.07 ZWL 593

-12.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.47 ZWL 577

$13.37 ZWL 359

60.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$34.91 ZWL 937

$68.0 ZWL 1,825

-48.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.94 ZWL 1,099

$54.3 ZWL 1,459

-24.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,931

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ZWL 2,993

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ZWL 12.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ZWL 11.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 ZWL 55.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,067 ZWL 55.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 ZWL 8,116

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 Shurugwi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Shurugwi versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 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

Shurugwi vs Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bulawayo is pricier by about 28%, 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 $913 per month in Shurugwi and $1,170 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $608 in Shurugwi and $780 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $273 per month in Shurugwi and $138 in Bulawayo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $608 in Shurugwi and $780 in Bulawayo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shurugwi – 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 Shurugwi. 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.