Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chingola and Lusaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Chingola: $426 a month against $876 in Lusaka, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index

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Chingola

🇿🇲 Zambia

$426

/mo nomad

Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chingola and in Lusaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chingola and in Lusaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Chingola versus $876 in Lusaka.

Chingola $426
Lusaka $876

Estimated couple costs with rent: $725 in Chingola versus $1,497 in Lusaka.

Chingola $725
Lusaka $1,497

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,025 in Chingola versus $2,117 in Lusaka.

Chingola $1,025
Lusaka $2,117

Living in Chingola costs roughly 51% less than in Lusaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chingola 68% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.04 ZMW 299

$5.63 ZMW 112

167.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.85 ZMW 494

$30.45 ZMW 606

-18.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ZMW 102

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZMW 56.8

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

$0.49 ZMW 9.68

$0.78 ZMW 15.60

-37.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ZMW 7.28

$0.45 ZMW 8.92

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.59 ZMW 11.65

$1.29 ZMW 25.56

-54.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ZMW 24.66

$2.32 ZMW 46.24

-46.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ZMW 35.92

$1.67 ZMW 33.20

8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ZMW 23.02

$1.23 ZMW 24.48

-5.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 ZMW 50.6

$2.09 ZMW 41.62

21.53%

Eggs

$1.78 ZMW 35.41

$1.90 ZMW 37.77

-6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 ZMW 206

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.12 ZMW 102

$6.41 ZMW 128

-20.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 ZMW 88.8

$6.47 ZMW 129

-31.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 ZMW 40.97

$3.45 ZMW 68.5

-40.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 38.86

$2.45 ZMW 48.71

-20.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ZMW 39.58

$3.62 ZMW 72.1

-45.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ZMW 40.44

$1.58 ZMW 31.35

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 ZMW 58.9

$2.62 ZMW 52.0

12.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ZMW 30.50

$1.88 ZMW 37.39

-18.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 22.93

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 16.57

$0.75 ZMW 14.96

10.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 ZMW 29.34

$3.07 ZMW 61.1

-51.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.15 ZMW 102

$10.23 ZMW 203

-49.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ZMW 11.49

$1.42 ZMW 28.24

-59.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ZMW 15.45

$2.24 ZMW 44.47

-65.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 20.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 ZMW 1,003

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ZMW 49.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ZMW 11.45

$1.52 ZMW 30.29

-61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 ZMW 202

$5.12 ZMW 102

98.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ZMW 26.68

$1.49 ZMW 29.71

-10.07%

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

$7,550 ZMW 150.2K

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

$27.2K ZMW 540.1K

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

$49.82 ZMW 991

$79.3 ZMW 1,577

-37.18%

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

$10.56 ZMW 210

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 ZMW 1,093

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.21 ZMW 203

$53.9 ZMW 1,072

-81.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 ZMW 303

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ZMW 121

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

$141 ZMW 2,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 331.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.91 ZMW 396

$23.49 ZMW 467

-15.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.82 ZMW 255

$15.47 ZMW 308

-17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.7 ZMW 1,008

$45.00 ZMW 895

12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 ZMW 1,483

$71.8 ZMW 1,429

3.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ZMW 7,794

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 ZMW 21.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ZMW 12.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,949 ZMW 38.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.1K ZMW 300.3K

$4,934 ZMW 98.1K

205.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$110 ZMW 2,178

$311 ZMW 6,182

-64.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chingola: October 11, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Chingola

–

Lusaka

$239 27.3%

Accommodation & Living

Chingola

–

Lusaka

$181 20.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chingola

–

Lusaka

$145 16.5%

Eating Out

Chingola

–

Lusaka

$111 12.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Chingola

–

Lusaka

$70 8%

Sport & Entertainment

Chingola

–

Lusaka

$66 7.5%

Getting Around

Chingola

–

Lusaka

$65 7.4%

Cost Breakdown

Lusaka pays 184% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Chingola vs $30.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $239 per month, with Chingola cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Chingola

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🕒 Local time

10:08 10:08 AM

Same time as Chingola

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

210,073

1,742,979 Capital

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chingola Lusaka 320 km

From you

Chingola
Lusaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and transport. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 184% lower in Lusaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Lusaka. 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 $25.00 versus $30.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $426 in Chingola versus $876 in Lusaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Lusaka. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola 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 Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.