Free · No login · Live tariffs
ZESA calculator with the
real stepped tariffs
See exactly how many units your ZiG (ZWG) or US dollars buy — band by band, including the 6% REA levy and your 400 kWh monthly quota. Updated whenever ZERA changes the rates.
You get
157.6 kWh
for ZiG 500.00 (≈ US$17.73)
| Band | Units | Cost | ZWG/unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 50 units | 50.0 | ZiG 112.93 | 2.2585 |
| 51 – 100 units | 50.0 | ZiG 127.04 | 2.5408 |
| 101 – 200 units | 57.6 | ZiG 260.03 | 4.5169 |
Quota tip
You have used 0 of 400 kWh (0%) of this month's discounted quota. Buying your remaining 400 discounted units before the quota resets on the 1st costs ZiG 2,046.74 (≈ US$72.58). Anything above 400 kWh in the same month is charged at the top rate.
Prices include the 6% REA levy. Based on ZERA-approved ZETDC tariffs (billed in ZiG / ZWG). USD figures use ≈28.2 ZWG/US$ and are estimates — your bank or wallet rate may differ slightly.
Current ZESA tariffs
All six bands at ZERA-approved rates, effective 2026-09-21. Understand the quota before you buy.
See the tariffs →
Token didn't arrive?
The complete guide to retrieving a lost ZESA token — EcoCash, banks, the ZETDC portal and WhatsApp lines.
Retrieve your token →
Check your meter
Check your ZETDC prepaid meter and current purchase availability. If payments are not open, join the launch list.
Check availability →
Common amounts, worked out
Today's answer for the amounts people actually buy — recalculated every time ZERA changes the rates.
- ZiG 10044.3 kWh
- ZiG 20084.3 kWh
- ZiG 500157.6 kWh
- ZiG 1,000247.5 kWh
- ZiG 2,000393.4 kWh
- US$225.0 kWh
- US$561.0 kWh
- US$10109.3 kWh
- US$20171.7 kWh
Or start from the units
What a fixed number of units costs today — and what each one actually runs in the house.
- 50 unitsZWG 112.93
- 100 unitsZWG 239.97
- 150 unitsZWG 465.81
- 200 unitsZWG 691.66
- 250 unitsZWG 1,016.31
- 300 unitsZWG 1,340.97
- 400 unitsZWG 2,046.74
See every amount and unit count in one table — ZWG 50 to ZWG 5,000, US$1 to US$100, and 50 to 400 units, with the effective price per kWh for each.
ZESA prices move with the ZWG — the entry band has shifted +0.8% across 61 schedules since 2026-05-26. See the full tariff history — free as JSON and CSV.
ZESA token purchases — check availability
Use the buy page to check your ZETDC prepaid meter and current payment availability. If payments are closed, you can request a launch update. No launch date is promised. The calculator and tariff guides remain free.
Check your meter & join the list →ZESA calculator — frequently asked questions
How many units do I get for my money?
It depends on how much you have already bought this month. ZESA uses a stepped tariff: the first 50 units each month are cheapest, and each band after that costs more. Our calculator applies the exact ZERA-approved band prices, including the 6% REA levy, and accounts for units you have already purchased.
Is ZESA cheaper at the beginning of the month?
Not exactly — prices don't change with the date. What resets on the 1st is your 400 kWh discounted monthly quota. If you already used your cheap bands this month, new purchases fall into expensive bands. Buying early in the month simply means you are starting from the cheapest band again.
What is the 400 kWh monthly quota?
Every prepaid meter gets 400 kWh per calendar month at discounted stepped rates — ZWG 2,046.74 (about US$72.58) buys the full quota at current rates. Every unit above 400 kWh in the same month is charged at the top rate. The quota resets on the 1st of each month.
How do I check my ZESA balance online?
Your remaining units live on the meter itself — press 07 on most prepaid meters to display the balance. To see your purchase history and past tokens, use the ZETDC self-service portal, or the channel you bought from (EcoCash, your bank, or an online vendor).
Is ZiG the same as ZWG?
Yes. ZiG (Zimbabwe Gold) is the currency's name and ZWG is its official code — they are the same money. ZETDC bills prepaid electricity in ZiG, so the ZiG figures here are exact; USD figures are estimates at the reference rate published with the tariffs.
What are the ZESA tariffs in USD?
ZETDC prices are set in ZiG, but converted at the reference rate the 2026-09-21 schedule works out to roughly US$0.08 per unit for the first 50 units, rising band by band to about US$0.26 per unit above 400 kWh. The full table in both currencies is on our tariffs page.
Can I buy ZESA tokens on VoltZW?
The buy page shows whether token purchases are currently open, the supported payment methods and any service fee before you pay. If payments are not open, you can check your meter and join the launch list. The calculator, tariff tables and token-retrieval guides remain free.