Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilanga and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilanga and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $623 in Chilanga versus $907 in Lusaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $989 in Chilanga versus $1,534 in Lusaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,355 in Chilanga versus $2,161 in Lusaka.

Living in Chilanga costs roughly 31% less than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chilanga 55% lower, Lusaka 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.68 ZMW 109

$5.70 ZMW 109

-0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 ZMW 601

$31.91 ZMW 609

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ZMW 103

$5.31 ZMW 101

1.88%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ZMW 55.7

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

-2.01%

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

$0.79 ZMW 15.18

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

-3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.87

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 ZMW 25.58

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

-1.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ZMW 44.58

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ZMW 33.33

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

-5.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ZMW 24.23

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.81

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

Eggs

$2.02 ZMW 38.53

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

-1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ZMW 203

$10.75 ZMW 205

-1.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ZMW 121

$6.54 ZMW 125

-3.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.82 ZMW 130

$6.75 ZMW 129

1.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 75.4

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

11.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ZMW 48.78

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

2.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 75.5

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

6.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ZMW 31.11

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 ZMW 52.1

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

-0.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 ZMW 40.03

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.94

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ZMW 14.60

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

-8.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.5

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

-3.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 ZMW 203

$10.52 ZMW 201

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ZMW 29.63

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ZMW 47.40

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 ZMW 49.88

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

-2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 ZMW 27.34

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 ZMW 103

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

2.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 ZMW 31.04

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

3.16%

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

$7,864 ZMW 150.2K

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

0.94%

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

$33.9K ZMW 647.2K

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

22.33%

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

$84.1 ZMW 1,605

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

0.48%

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

$10.88 ZMW 208

$11.07 ZMW 211

-1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 ZMW 1,097

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

1.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 ZMW 120

$6.37 ZMW 122

-1.41%

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

$142 ZMW 2,721

$147 ZMW 2,802

-2.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K ZMW 315.3K

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

-0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.60 ZMW 489

$24.76 ZMW 473

3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.43 ZMW 295

$16.00 ZMW 306

-3.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.59 ZMW 871

$47.84 ZMW 914

-4.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ZMW 1,476

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chilanga: August 29, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $31.00 in Chilanga vs $32.00 in Lusaka. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $249, with Lusaka cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chilanga vs Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilanga and Lusaka differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($623 vs $907 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $934 in Chilanga and $1,360 in Lusaka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $142 in Chilanga versus $147 in Lusaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $32.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $623 in Chilanga versus $907 in Lusaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Lusaka. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.