Bulawayo at a glance
- Bulawayo ranks 2nd of 5 priced cities in Zimbabwe on cost: $548 a month in essentials, 39% above Gweru, the cheapest.
- The average net salary of $300 covers that 0.5×.
- 78.9 men per 100 women aged 20–39, measured at district level.
- PM2.5 averages 5.8 µg/m³ a year, 1× the WHO guideline of 5.
Green is the better side of each figure. Every line is computed from the tables below.
Monthly cost breakdown
Rent outside centre plus utilities, groceries, dining and local transport make up the essentials figure. Not a full lifestyle budget. The middle column is the median across the 5 Zimbabwe cities we track, so every row says whether Bulawayo is the cheap side of its own market or the dear one. Green is the better side of each row.
| Essentials, monthlyrent outside centre + bills + food + transit | $548 | $603 | $55 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $108 | $120 | $12 |
| Rent, 1-bed city centremonthly, USD | $175 | $175 | same |
| Groceriesmonthly, one person | $96 | $102 | $6 |
| Dining outmonthly, one person | $112 | $218 | 1.95× as much |
| Utilitiesmonthly: power, water, heating, internet | $202 | $121 | 1.67× as much |
| Local transportmonthly pass or fare equivalent | $30 | $30 | same |
| Average net salarymonthly, after tax; average, not median | $300 | $300 | same |
| Rent, 3-bed outside centremonthly, USD | $320 | $400 | 1.25× as much |
| Rent, 3-bed city centremonthly, USD | $412 | $600 | 1.46× as much |
Single person, USD. Data updated August 6, 2026.
Everyday prices
What single items cost in Bulawayo, in USD. The monthly figures above are built from these. Cheaper side of each row in green.
Eating out
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $4.50 | $10.00 | 2.22× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal for 2, mid-range, three courses | $30.00 | $45.00 | 1.50× as much |
| McMeal at McDonald's | $5.00 | $6.00 | $1.00 |
| Cappuccino, regular | $2.12 | $2.80 | 1.32× as much |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 L draught | $1.50 | $1.50 | same |
| Imported beer, 0.33 L bottle | $2.00 | $2.00 | same |
| Coke/Pepsi, 0.33 L | $0.50 | $0.75 | 1.50× as much |
| Water, 0.33 L bottle | $0.38 | $0.50 | 1.32× as much |
Groceries
| Milk, 1 L | $1.64 | $1.51 | $0.13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread, 500 g | $1.00 | $1.00 | same |
| White rice, 1 kg | $1.56 | $1.70 | $0.14 |
| Eggs, 12 | $1.87 | $1.93 | $0.06 |
| Local cheese, 1 kg | $9.67 | $12.01 | $2.34 |
| Chicken fillets, 1 kg | $3.92 | $4.00 | $0.08 |
| Apples, 1 kg | $1.83 | $2.00 | $0.17 |
| Bananas, 1 kg | $1.57 | $1.64 | $0.07 |
| Tomatoes, 1 kg | $1.03 | $1.03 | same |
| Potatoes, 1 kg | $1.25 | $1.69 | 1.35× as much |
| Onions, 1 kg | $1.40 | $1.40 | same |
| Water, 1.5 L bottle | $0.78 | $1.02 | 1.31× as much |
Transport & bills
| One-way ticket, local transport | $0.75 | $0.75 | same |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly transit pass | $30.00 | $31.00 | $1.00 |
| Taxi start | $3.00 | $4.50 | 1.50× as much |
| Taxi, 1 km | $2.00 | $2.00 | same |
| Gasoline, 1 L | $1.65 | $1.65 | same |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² flat | $94.67 | $54.02 | 1.75× as much |
| Internet, 60 Mbps+ | $107.50 | $66.89 | 1.61× as much |
| Mobile plan, monthly | $17.50 | $17.50 | same |
Leisure
| Gym, monthly | $31.25 | $40.00 | 1.28× as much |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinema, one seat | $10.00 | $10.00 | same |
Dating-age sex ratio
Bulawayo has 78.9 men per 100 women aged 20–39 (district level). That is the 8th-highest of 9 Zimbabwe cities we track. Zimbabwe's national figure is 89, so Bulawayo runs 10 below the country as a whole.
A supply figure, 20–39. The dating-pool model is in Pro.
How Bulawayo ranks against every city we track
Bulawayo sits ahead of 99% of the 892 cities we track on women aged 20–39. On city-centre rent it is ahead of 95% of 553. Its weakest measure is salary against local costs, ahead of only 9% of 534.
Longer is better on every row: bar length is where Bulawayo sits among all the cities carrying that measure, which is why the count differs by row.
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Photo: JackyR, CC BY 2.5.
