Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Zambia Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Zambia

🙂 Solo nomad: India is 54.1% cheaper than Zambia without rent, and 48% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: India is 49.3% cheaper than Zambia without rent, and 53.7% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Zambia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.60 ₹238
$7.26 ZMW 138
-64.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.91 ₹1,275
$22.64 ZMW 430
-38.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.17 ₹382
$3.61 ZMW 68.7
15.51%
Cappuccino
$1.84 ₹168
$1.91 ZMW 36.39
-3.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ₹40.04
$0.63 ZMW 12.00
-30.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 ₹15.35
$0.36 ZMW 6.76
-52.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.96 ₹179
$0.94 ZMW 17.87
108.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ₹321
$1.50 ZMW 28.61
133.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Zambia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.73 ₹67.2
$1.28 ZMW 24.40
-42.97%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 ₹44.00
$0.87 ZMW 16.56
-44.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 ₹65.7
$1.73 ZMW 32.93
-58.38%
Eggs
$0.94 ₹86.4
$1.52 ZMW 28.90
-38.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.23 ₹479
$7.91 ZMW 150
-33.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ₹286
$3.96 ZMW 75.3
-21.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$4.77 ZMW 90.6
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.19 ₹201
$2.31 ZMW 43.94
-5.19%
Banana (1kg)
$0.75 ₹68.4
$1.55 ZMW 29.51
-51.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.10 ₹100
$2.53 ZMW 48.05
-56.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 ₹52.4
$1.13 ZMW 21.42
-49.56%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 ₹38.64
$2.00 ZMW 37.95
-79.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.45 ₹41.26
$1.41 ZMW 26.88
-68.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 ₹50.1
$0.95 ZMW 18.11
-42.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₹30.23
$0.53 ZMW 10.02
-37.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.13 ₹378
$2.25 ZMW 42.81
83.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.66 ₹702
$6.59 ZMW 125
16.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 ₹167
$0.92 ZMW 17.55
98.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₹266
$1.28 ZMW 24.25
126.56%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.74 ₹526
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Zambia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ₹33.46
$0.96 ZMW 18.25
-61.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.00 ₹917
$40.29 ZMW 766
-75.18%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 ₹84.1
$2.53 ZMW 48.06
-63.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 ₹25.62
$1.06 ZMW 20.16
-73.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.77 ₹162
$9.38 ZMW 178
-81.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.17 ₹107
$1.18 ZMW 22.50
-0.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.8K ₹1.3M
$8,144 ZMW 154.8K
69.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K ₹2.1M
$29.0K ZMW 551.5K
-21.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Zambia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$41.02 ₹3,759
$86.2 ZMW 1,639
-52.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.88 ₹355
$51.2 ZMW 973
-92.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.71 ₹707
$125 ZMW 2,376
-93.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Zambia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.54 ₹1,515
$42.02 ZMW 799
-60.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.91 ₹725
$14.05 ZMW 267
-43.70%
Cinema Ticket
$3.41 ₹313
$4.12 ZMW 78.3
-17.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Zambia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$70.7 ₹6,481
$180 ZMW 3,425
-60.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,845 ₹169.0K
$9,561 ZMW 181.8K
-80.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Zambia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.96 ₹2,287
$19.55 ZMW 372
27.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.09 ₹2,482
$17.56 ZMW 334
54.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.21 ₹4,234
$79.8 ZMW 1,517
-42.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.03 ₹3,026
$72.7 ZMW 1,383
-54.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Zambia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$175 ₹16.1K
$212 ZMW 4,023
-17.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$113 ₹10.4K
$126 ZMW 2,400
-10.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$403 ₹37.0K
$850 ZMW 16.1K
-52.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$258 ₹23.7K
$704 ZMW 13.4K
-63.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,308 ₹119.9K
$1,981 ZMW 37.7K
-33.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$659 ₹60.4K
$5,060 ZMW 96.2K
-86.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Zambia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$457 ₹41.8K
$376 ZMW 7,139
21.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.02
25
-63.92%

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

Last update for India: March 1, 2026

Last update for Zambia: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated January 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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