Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Zambia Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and Zambia

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,319 per month in Canada vs $277 in Zambia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Canada vs $476 in Zambia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,437 per month in Canada vs $674 in Zambia, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 737% higher than in Zambia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 74% above the global median, while Zambia is 79% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 CA$26.21

$7.22 ZMW 131

158.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$23.17 ZMW 422

219.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.37

$3.75 ZMW 68.3

191.20%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.29

$2.01 ZMW 36.54

87.06%

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

$2.19 CA$3.08

$0.63 ZMW 11.40

247.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$0.33 ZMW 5.95

427.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.34

$0.86 ZMW 15.73

589.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.38

$1.51 ZMW 27.50

294.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.21

$1.24 ZMW 22.51

83.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.76

$0.85 ZMW 15.43

214.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.32

$1.76 ZMW 32.02

114.77%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.92

$1.54 ZMW 28.04

127.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.46

$7.53 ZMW 137

55.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 CA$17.31

$4.03 ZMW 73.4

205.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 CA$21.73

$4.82 ZMW 87.7

220.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.02

$2.40 ZMW 43.74

78.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.50 ZMW 27.33

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.64

$2.52 ZMW 45.83

59.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$6.00

$1.14 ZMW 20.76

274.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$1.95 ZMW 35.51

37.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$1.43 ZMW 25.99

85.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.71

$0.89 ZMW 16.13

196.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$0.53 ZMW 9.57

256.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 CA$20.78

$2.21 ZMW 40.28

568.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 CA$18.74

$10.39 ZMW 189

28.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 CA$4.17

$0.92 ZMW 16.75

221.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.61

$1.28 ZMW 23.21

156.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$0.94 ZMW 17.19

178.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 CA$110

$40.06 ZMW 729

94.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.81

$2.50 ZMW 45.46

36.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$1.06 ZMW 19.38

41.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.07 CA$40.91

$9.37 ZMW 170

210.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.24 ZMW 22.54

-3.23%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$8,143 ZMW 148.2K

212.81%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$28.4K ZMW 517.3K

-27.66%

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

$152 CA$213

$87.1 ZMW 1,585

74.03%

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

$46.70 CA$65.7

$51.7 ZMW 941

-9.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 CA$87.0

$127 ZMW 2,305

-51.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 CA$61.0

$41.95 ZMW 763

3.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 CA$25.40

$13.89 ZMW 253

29.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 CA$16.19

$4.21 ZMW 76.6

173.40%

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

$806 CA$1,134

$174 ZMW 3,172

362.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$17.1K

$9,683 ZMW 176.2K

25.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.9

$20.05 ZMW 365

176.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.80 CA$58.8

$17.84 ZMW 325

134.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$126

$78.8 ZMW 1,434

13.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$71.7 ZMW 1,304

47.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 CA$1,870

$208 ZMW 3,792

537.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,698

$127 ZMW 2,308

851.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 CA$2,972

$860 ZMW 15.7K

145.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,579

$714 ZMW 13.0K

156.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,639 CA$6,527

$4,948 ZMW 90.0K

-6.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,849 CA$5,415

$9,502 ZMW 172.9K

-59.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,148

$323 ZMW 5,884

811.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

-74.68%

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

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zambia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,281 in Canada vs $22.00 in Zambia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,481 in Ottawa and $228 in Lusaka.

Average salary: $2,904 in Canada vs $338 in Zambia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 5723% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 518% more in Canada.

Public transport is 1200% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 759% higher in Canada.

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

Canada vs Zambia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zambia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 423% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zambia, contributing to the overall 423% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zambia, but in Canada 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.