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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $615 per month in Shurugwi vs $766 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $983 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,274 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,350 per month in Shurugwi vs $1,782 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Shurugwi is about 20% cheaper than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Shurugwi and Bulawayo are more affordable than the global median – Shurugwi 54% lower, Bulawayo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.86 ZWL 263

$4.42 ZWL 118

123.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.38 ZWL 1,077

$29.55 ZWL 788

36.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 ZWL 189

$5.52 ZWL 147

28.62%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ZWL 44.38

$2.39 ZWL 63.8

-30.54%

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

$0.66 ZWL 17.52

$0.52 ZWL 13.89

26.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ZWL 11.61

$0.44 ZWL 11.63

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ZWL 40.61

$1.80 ZWL 47.90

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ZWL 54.0

$2.46 ZWL 65.6

-17.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.25

$1.59 ZWL 42.31

1.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZWL 27.16

$1.00 ZWL 26.76

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ZWL 52.0

$1.80 ZWL 48.06

8.33%

Eggs

$2.14 ZWL 57.2

$1.81 ZWL 48.39

18.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 ZWL 290

$10.46 ZWL 279

3.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 ZWL 168

$3.89 ZWL 104

62.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZWL 166

$4.31 ZWL 115

44.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 ZWL 80.8

$1.48 ZWL 39.36

104.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ZWL 43.52

$1.49 ZWL 39.66

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 ZWL 58.2

$2.33 ZWL 62.1

-6.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 ZWL 45.75

$1.13 ZWL 30.20

51.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ZWL 40.13

$1.15 ZWL 30.56

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.7

$1.39 ZWL 37.07

47.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ZWL 27.63

$1.03 ZWL 27.39

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ZWL 25.09

$1.06 ZWL 28.21

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.13 ZWL 30.15

$1.54 ZWL 41.13

-26.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 ZWL 253

$4.97 ZWL 133

90.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZWL 29.82

$1.53 ZWL 40.72

-26.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ZWL 45.55

$2.13 ZWL 56.9

-19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ZWL 13.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 ZWL 802

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 ZWL 135

$2.97 ZWL 79.3

71.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ZWL 51.9

$2.21 ZWL 59.0

-12.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 ZWL 133

$5.02 ZWL 134

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 ZWL 40.93

$1.64 ZWL 43.64

-6.71%

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

$19.8K ZWL 527.7K

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

$23.7K ZWL 631.4K

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

$58.9 ZWL 1,570

$71.6 ZWL 1,911

-17.80%

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

$17.82 ZWL 475

$18.35 ZWL 490

-2.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 ZWL 2,424

$134 ZWL 3,585

-32.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.50 ZWL 680

Cinema Ticket

$9.87 ZWL 263

$9.95 ZWL 265

-0.80%

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

$281 ZWL 7,488

$142 ZWL 3,781

98.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,402 ZWL 197.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.35 ZWL 516

$21.35 ZWL 570

-9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.53 ZWL 574

$13.38 ZWL 357

60.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.24 ZWL 940

$68.7 ZWL 1,834

-48.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.57 ZWL 1,056

$55.9 ZWL 1,491

-29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$184 ZWL 4,899

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ZWL 2,992

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ZWL 12.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ZWL 11.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 ZWL 56.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,063 ZWL 55.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 ZWL 8,034

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Shurugwi versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $180 – 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 25%, 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 $922 per month in Shurugwi and $1,149 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $615 in Shurugwi and $766 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $281 per month in Shurugwi and $142 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 $615 in Shurugwi and $766 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.