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: $652 in Chilanga versus $855 in Lusaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $976 in Chilanga versus $1,450 in Lusaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,301 in Chilanga versus $2,045 in Lusaka.

Living in Chilanga costs roughly 24% less than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chilanga 51% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 ZMW 130

$7.01 ZMW 128

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.30 ZMW 460

$24.68 ZMW 449

2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 ZMW 67.1

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

-0.27%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ZMW 37.01

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

5.18%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.28

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.60

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

-2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ZMW 31.94

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

-4.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 23.30

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

-3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ZMW 13.74

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

1.27%

Eggs

$1.76 ZMW 32.11

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

-0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 ZMW 139

$7.92 ZMW 144

-3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 68.9

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.64 ZMW 84.4

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

-2.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ZMW 47.14

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

0.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.09

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 ZMW 51.3

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

4.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 20.55

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

-2.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 ZMW 33.45

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.08

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.66

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

-6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.40

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 ZMW 44.87

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

-2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.74 ZMW 195

$10.63 ZMW 194

1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.52

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

3.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 27.70

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

-3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 48.92

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

-3.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 ZMW 171

$9.20 ZMW 167

2.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.52

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

4.20%

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

$8,084 ZMW 147.1K

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

2.45%

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

$28.3K ZMW 514.7K

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

-0.53%

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

$91.9 ZMW 1,672

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

1.27%

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

$52.2 ZMW 950

$53.4 ZMW 972

-2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,311

$123 ZMW 2,239

3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 ZMW 77.0

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

-0.47%

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

$180 ZMW 3,271

$178 ZMW 3,232

1.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,457 ZMW 172.1K

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

-0.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 ZMW 338

$18.67 ZMW 340

-0.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.71 ZMW 304

$17.20 ZMW 313

-2.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 ZMW 1,521

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

-1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ZMW 1,308

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chilanga: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Chilanga vs $25.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $178 per month, with Chilanga cheaper across the board.

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 31% in total monthly costs ($652 vs $855 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $977 in Chilanga and $1,283 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 $180 in Chilanga versus $178 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 $25.00 versus $25.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chilanga gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 31% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.