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 $278 in Zambia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Brazil vs $473 in Zambia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,682 per month in Brazil vs $667 in Zambia, rent included.

The cost of living in Brazil is about 175% higher than in 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

$5.55 R$28.65

$6.99 ZMW 125

-20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.27 R$151

$23.02 ZMW 412

27.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 R$32.92

$3.69 ZMW 66.0

72.90%

Cappuccino

$1.71 R$8.83

$1.92 ZMW 34.40

-10.94%

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

$1.08 R$5.57

$0.63 ZMW 11.27

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.67

$0.35 ZMW 6.30

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$9.15

$0.87 ZMW 15.61

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 R$13.67

$1.49 ZMW 26.62

77.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.13

$1.28 ZMW 22.83

-22.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 R$7.74

$0.86 ZMW 15.45

74.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.28

$1.73 ZMW 30.98

-29.48%

Eggs

$2.11 R$10.89

$1.53 ZMW 27.38

37.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 R$44.70

$7.92 ZMW 142

9.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 R$18.66

$4.05 ZMW 72.5

-10.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 R$39.19

$4.98 ZMW 89.1

52.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 R$10.85

$2.40 ZMW 42.88

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.55

$1.51 ZMW 27.01

-15.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.90

$2.60 ZMW 46.55

-56.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.68

$1.19 ZMW 21.28

25.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.86

$2.04 ZMW 36.50

-44.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.71

$1.41 ZMW 25.26

-21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 R$3.70

$0.91 ZMW 16.30

-20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.33

$0.57 ZMW 10.12

12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.37

$2.29 ZMW 40.91

-3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.93 R$40.92

$11.15 ZMW 200

-28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$6.11

$0.84 ZMW 15.02

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 R$11.49

$1.23 ZMW 21.93

81.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.86

$0.97 ZMW 17.32

-3.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.82 R$216

$39.70 ZMW 711

5.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.43

$2.56 ZMW 45.87

-58.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.36

$1.03 ZMW 18.48

-18.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 R$38.25

$9.14 ZMW 164

-18.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.62

$1.24 ZMW 22.26

-12.10%

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

$21.3K R$109.8K

$7,952 ZMW 142.3K

167.57%

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

$27.2K R$140.5K

$28.1K ZMW 503.8K

-3.28%

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

$68.9 R$355

$83.9 ZMW 1,502

-17.92%

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

$13.81 R$71.3

$50.8 ZMW 909

-72.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 R$98.9

$125 ZMW 2,244

-84.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.81 R$118

$41.84 ZMW 749

-45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.49 R$116

$14.01 ZMW 251

60.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 R$32.89

$4.20 ZMW 75.1

51.67%

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

$285 R$1,473

$176 ZMW 3,159

61.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,378 R$38.1K

$9,482 ZMW 169.7K

-22.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 R$256

$19.92 ZMW 357

148.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.44 R$219

$17.39 ZMW 311

144.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$396

$77.9 ZMW 1,395

-1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 R$324

$71.5 ZMW 1,280

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,683

$210 ZMW 3,755

55.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 R$1,181

$130 ZMW 2,324

76.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 R$3,366

$857 ZMW 15.3K

-23.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 R$2,302

$701 ZMW 12.6K

-36.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,852 R$9,560

$2,001 ZMW 35.8K

-7.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 R$6,421

$5,881 ZMW 105.3K

-78.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 R$2,748

$350 ZMW 6,264

52.14%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zambia: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $305 in Brazil vs $22.00 in Zambia. For reference, capital cities sit at $412 in Brasilia and $228 in Lusaka.

Average salary: $490 in Brazil vs $345 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 42% higher in Brazil, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Zambia.

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 85% 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 85% 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.