Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Kabwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Kabwe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $435 in Chingola versus $584 in Kabwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $744 in Chingola versus $947 in Kabwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,052 in Chingola versus $1,310 in Kabwe.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 25% less than in Kabwe, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chingola 68% lower, Kabwe 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.80 ZMW 304

$5.76 ZMW 111

174.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.58 ZMW 493

$31.68 ZMW 610

-19.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.34 ZMW 103

Cappuccino

$2.91 ZMW 55.9

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

$0.54 ZMW 10.31

$0.76 ZMW 14.55

-28.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.90

$0.47 ZMW 9.03

-23.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.65 ZMW 12.49

$1.27 ZMW 24.40

-48.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 ZMW 25.46

$2.34 ZMW 44.96

-43.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ZMW 36.05

$1.81 ZMW 34.86

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 24.00

$1.27 ZMW 24.42

-1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ZMW 49.20

$2.20 ZMW 42.36

16.36%

Eggs

$1.84 ZMW 35.37

$1.21 ZMW 23.29

52.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.85 ZMW 209

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.27 ZMW 101

$6.38 ZMW 123

-17.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.56 ZMW 87.8

$6.62 ZMW 127

-31.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 ZMW 39.81

$3.58 ZMW 68.9

-42.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 ZMW 40.02

$1.07 ZMW 20.62

94.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 ZMW 40.85

$3.83 ZMW 73.8

-44.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 ZMW 39.24

$1.57 ZMW 30.27

29.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 ZMW 61.2

$2.73 ZMW 52.5

16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 30.45

$1.88 ZMW 36.20

-15.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 22.18

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ZMW 17.76

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

13.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 ZMW 29.91

$3.06 ZMW 58.9

-49.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.10 ZMW 98.2

$10.31 ZMW 198

-50.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ZMW 12.33

$1.46 ZMW 28.05

-56.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 15.61

$2.42 ZMW 46.61

-66.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 ZMW 49.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ZMW 12.64

$1.55 ZMW 29.84

-57.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.61 ZMW 204

$5.20 ZMW 100

104.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ZMW 27.10

$1.39 ZMW 26.67

1.44%

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

$7,707 ZMW 148.4K

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

$27.0K ZMW 520.2K

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

$52.2 ZMW 1,005

$84.1 ZMW 1,620

-37.94%

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

$10.73 ZMW 206

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,115

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.32 ZMW 199

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 ZMW 121

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

$141 ZMW 2,707

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 321.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.85 ZMW 401

$24.13 ZMW 465

-13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.98 ZMW 250

$16.00 ZMW 308

-18.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 ZMW 988

$47.52 ZMW 915

7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 ZMW 1,502

$74.3 ZMW 1,431

5.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.8K ZMW 304.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$116 ZMW 2,234

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chingola: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kabwe: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Chingola vs $32.00 in Kabwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $235 per month, with Chingola 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

Chingola vs Kabwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $653 in Chingola and $876 in Kabwe 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Kabwe. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $32.00 in Kabwe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Chingola 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 Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Kabwe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.