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: $333 in Chingola versus $652 in Kabwe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $575 in Chingola versus $965 in Kabwe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $816 in Chingola versus $1,278 in Kabwe.

Living in Chingola costs roughly 49% less than in Kabwe, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chingola 75% lower, Kabwe 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 ZMW 229

$7.24 ZMW 136

68.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.11 ZMW 396

$24.49 ZMW 459

-13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 68.0

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 36.26

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

$0.43 ZMW 8.00

$0.73 ZMW 13.73

-41.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ZMW 5.18

$0.33 ZMW 6.26

-15.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.48 ZMW 9.02

$0.94 ZMW 17.67

-48.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 ZMW 19.83

$1.76 ZMW 32.96

-39.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 ZMW 18.65

$1.33 ZMW 25.02

-25.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ZMW 15.29

$0.78 ZMW 14.65

5.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 ZMW 38.07

$1.60 ZMW 30.08

26.87%

Eggs

$1.14 ZMW 21.30

$0.95 ZMW 17.81

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 ZMW 148

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.02 ZMW 37.91

$3.99 ZMW 74.8

-49.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.81 ZMW 71.4

$4.51 ZMW 84.5

-15.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ZMW 30.28

$2.52 ZMW 47.16

-35.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ZMW 31.63

$0.87 ZMW 16.24

94.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ZMW 30.27

$2.66 ZMW 49.94

-39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 ZMW 31.87

$1.15 ZMW 21.58

47.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 ZMW 47.42

$1.87 ZMW 35.08

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ZMW 22.78

$1.38 ZMW 25.86

-12.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 17.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ZMW 13.50

$0.51 ZMW 9.57

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 ZMW 23.63

$2.52 ZMW 47.34

-50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 ZMW 102

$10.60 ZMW 199

-48.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.79

$1.14 ZMW 21.39

-54.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ZMW 11.21

$1.52 ZMW 28.56

-60.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 ZMW 52.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ZMW 8.35

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.32 ZMW 156

$9.09 ZMW 170

-8.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ZMW 22.02

$1.24 ZMW 23.26

-5.65%

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

$8,130 ZMW 152.4K

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

$28.0K ZMW 525.2K

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

$40.96 ZMW 768

$92.7 ZMW 1,739

-55.83%

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

$52.5 ZMW 985

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,309

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.54 ZMW 160

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 ZMW 80.3

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

$174 ZMW 3,260

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,643 ZMW 180.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.84 ZMW 316

$19.14 ZMW 359

-12.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.53 ZMW 197

$17.04 ZMW 320

-38.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.66 ZMW 781

$84.0 ZMW 1,575

-50.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.8 ZMW 1,177

$74.2 ZMW 1,392

-15.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.2K ZMW 304.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$120 ZMW 2,244

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chingola: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kabwe: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $21.00 in Chingola vs $24.00 in Kabwe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $119 vs $171 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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 96% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $500 in Chingola and $977 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 44% 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 $21.00 versus $24.00 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 96% less than in Kabwe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.