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 $2,316 per month in Canada vs $278 in Zambia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,376 per month in Canada vs $476 in Zambia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,436 per month in Canada vs $673 in Zambia, rent included.

Canada costs about 733% more than Zambia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 73% above the global median, while Zambia is 79% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.44 CA$25.53

$7.02 ZMW 125

162.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 CA$103

$23.33 ZMW 416

219.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.07

$3.63 ZMW 64.9

199.72%

Cappuccino

$3.90 CA$5.39

$1.99 ZMW 35.51

95.98%

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

$2.16 CA$2.99

$0.67 ZMW 11.96

222.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.40

$0.35 ZMW 6.32

394.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 CA$7.94

$0.87 ZMW 15.51

559.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 CA$8.37

$1.51 ZMW 27.00

300.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.29 ZMW 22.95

70.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 CA$3.81

$0.85 ZMW 15.16

223.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 CA$5.07

$1.82 ZMW 32.56

101.10%

Eggs

$3.63 CA$5.03

$1.54 ZMW 27.53

135.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 CA$16.22

$7.82 ZMW 140

49.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 CA$17.01

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

210.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 CA$20.60

$5.01 ZMW 89.5

197.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 CA$5.73

$2.34 ZMW 41.73

76.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.01

$1.56 ZMW 27.93

-7.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 CA$5.25

$2.61 ZMW 46.64

45.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.66

$1.15 ZMW 20.48

255.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.00 ZMW 35.63

36.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CA$3.83

$1.35 ZMW 24.17

105.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$0.96 ZMW 17.21

172.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.59

$0.53 ZMW 9.54

252.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.79 CA$20.48

$2.21 ZMW 39.49

569.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.08 CA$18.11

$10.52 ZMW 188

24.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.19

$0.85 ZMW 15.14

256.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 CA$4.72

$1.28 ZMW 22.87

166.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$0.94 ZMW 16.80

168.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 CA$108

$39.82 ZMW 711

95.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 CA$4.83

$2.50 ZMW 44.60

39.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.04

$1.07 ZMW 19.15

38.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.25 CA$39.12

$9.04 ZMW 161

212.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.22 ZMW 21.78

-5.74%

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

$25.4K CA$35.2K

$7,973 ZMW 142.3K

219.10%

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

$20.6K CA$28.6K

$28.6K ZMW 510.0K

-27.79%

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

$155 CA$214

$83.9 ZMW 1,498

84.47%

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

$45.76 CA$63.4

$51.5 ZMW 919

-11.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.2 CA$86.1

$125 ZMW 2,233

-50.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.67 CA$60.5

$41.97 ZMW 749

4.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 CA$25.11

$13.59 ZMW 243

33.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 CA$15.76

$4.27 ZMW 76.3

166.51%

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

$798 CA$1,104

$176 ZMW 3,140

353.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$16.8K

$9,775 ZMW 174.5K

23.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 CA$78.7

$19.61 ZMW 350

189.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.19 CA$58.4

$17.42 ZMW 311

142.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 CA$122

$78.6 ZMW 1,403

11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$71.1 ZMW 1,270

49.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 CA$1,882

$210 ZMW 3,743

548.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 CA$1,667

$129 ZMW 2,294

836.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 CA$2,957

$878 ZMW 15.7K

143.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 CA$2,575

$718 ZMW 12.8K

159.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,642 CA$6,427

$1,961 ZMW 35.0K

136.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,852 CA$5,333

$5,654 ZMW 100.9K

-31.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,029 CA$4,194

$356 ZMW 6,353

750.98%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zambia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,281 in Canada vs $22.00 in Zambia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,500 in Ottawa and $224 in Lusaka.

Average salary: $2,972 in Canada vs $342 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 769% 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 403% 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 403% 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.