Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Zambia Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Zambia

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Brazil vs $275 in Zambia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Brazil vs $474 in Zambia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Brazil vs $672 in Zambia, rent included.

Brazil costs about 178% more than Zambia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and Zambia are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 43% lower, Zambia 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 R$27.48

$7.02 ZMW 133

-21.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.01 R$145

$22.64 ZMW 430

28.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 R$30.69

$3.77 ZMW 71.5

63.13%

Cappuccino

$1.72 R$8.61

$1.98 ZMW 37.59

-13.13%

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

$1.12 R$5.60

$0.64 ZMW 12.14

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.52

$0.32 ZMW 6.15

121.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.77

$0.86 ZMW 16.30

104.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.28

$1.46 ZMW 27.63

82.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.96

$1.30 ZMW 24.59

-23.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.36

$0.85 ZMW 16.14

72.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.07

$1.82 ZMW 34.63

-32.97%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.46 ZMW 27.67

43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 R$43.60

$7.62 ZMW 145

14.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.48

$3.89 ZMW 73.8

-4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 R$37.08

$4.83 ZMW 91.6

53.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$10.73

$2.39 ZMW 45.35

-10.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.57

$1.55 ZMW 29.47

-14.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.70

$2.62 ZMW 49.77

-56.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.23

$1.13 ZMW 21.42

28.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.88

$1.95 ZMW 37.09

-39.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.27

$1.37 ZMW 25.93

-22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.95 ZMW 17.95

-25.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.19

$0.52 ZMW 9.94

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.90

$2.26 ZMW 42.83

-3.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.17

$6.70 ZMW 127

20.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$5.90

$0.90 ZMW 17.17

31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.20

$1.24 ZMW 23.59

81.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.30

$1.03 ZMW 19.49

-16.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.78 R$208

$39.83 ZMW 756

4.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.50

$2.48 ZMW 47.15

-55.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.18

$1.07 ZMW 20.33

-21.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$36.95

$9.23 ZMW 175

-19.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.39

$1.23 ZMW 23.35

-12.20%

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

$21.6K R$107.9K

$8,020 ZMW 152.2K

169.60%

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

$27.2K R$135.8K

$28.3K ZMW 537.5K

-3.89%

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

$68.1 R$340

$86.3 ZMW 1,638

-21.06%

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

$14.12 R$70.5

$50.9 ZMW 966

-72.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.25 R$96.0

$125 ZMW 2,366

-84.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 R$115

$42.67 ZMW 810

-45.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.58 R$113

$13.97 ZMW 265

61.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 R$31.22

$4.13 ZMW 78.5

51.57%

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

$282 R$1,409

$175 ZMW 3,318

61.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,250 R$36.2K

$9,571 ZMW 181.7K

-24.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.23 R$246

$19.57 ZMW 372

151.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.14 R$210

$17.67 ZMW 335

138.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 R$375

$77.6 ZMW 1,473

-3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$309

$73.8 ZMW 1,401

-16.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,628

$215 ZMW 4,080

51.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 R$1,130

$129 ZMW 2,449

75.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 R$3,265

$866 ZMW 16.4K

-24.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 R$2,245

$697 ZMW 13.2K

-35.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,947 R$9,716

$1,988 ZMW 37.7K

-2.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 R$6,572

$5,011 ZMW 95.1K

-73.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 R$2,700

$382 ZMW 7,258

41.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-55.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brazil: April 28, 2026

Last update for Zambia: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $305 in Brazil vs $22.00 in Zambia. For reference, capital cities sit at $402 in Brasilia and $231 in Lusaka.

Average salary: $498 in Brazil vs $355 in Zambia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1286% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 145% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 680% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 40% higher in Brazil, giving Zambia stronger purchasing power.

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

Brazil vs Zambia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zambia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 87% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zambia, contributing to the overall 87% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zambia, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Zambia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.