Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabwe and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabwe and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $635 per month in Kabwe vs $876 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $947 per month in Kabwe vs $1,489 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,258 per month in Kabwe vs $2,103 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kabwe is about 27% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kabwe and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Kabwe 53% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 ZMW 125

$7.11 ZMW 127

-1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.72 ZMW 441

$24.96 ZMW 446

-0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

0.83%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ZMW 36.14

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

0.50%

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

$0.67 ZMW 11.96

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

-8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ZMW 5.96

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.72

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

-2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.04

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

-4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 23.78

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.14

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 ZMW 28.70

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

1.90%

Eggs

$1.03 ZMW 18.32

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

-41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.56 ZMW 135

$7.86 ZMW 140

-3.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 67.6

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

-1.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.53 ZMW 80.8

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

-0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 ZMW 44.07

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

-1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ZMW 14.33

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

-49.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 ZMW 48.27

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 20.14

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 ZMW 33.48

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ZMW 24.77

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ZMW 16.80

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

8.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZMW 8.50

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 ZMW 43.61

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

-3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 ZMW 197

$10.95 ZMW 195

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZMW 20.02

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.11

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

4.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.79

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 ZMW 168

$8.92 ZMW 159

5.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ZMW 21.36

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

0.84%

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

$7,936 ZMW 141.7K

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

-0.39%

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

$28.9K ZMW 515.7K

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

1.77%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,639

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

1.93%

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

$52.7 ZMW 940

$53.6 ZMW 956

-1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$126 ZMW 2,244

$127 ZMW 2,263

-0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

-5.36%

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

$178 ZMW 3,171

$177 ZMW 3,161

0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,630 ZMW 171.9K

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

1.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.85 ZMW 337

$19.25 ZMW 344

-2.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.96 ZMW 303

$17.27 ZMW 308

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

-1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 ZMW 1,325

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kabwe: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kabwe versus $25.00 in Lusaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $177 – making Kabwe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kabwe vs Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka costs about 38% more than Kabwe, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $953 per month in Kabwe and $1,313 in Lusaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kabwe and $25.00 in Lusaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Lusaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $635 in Kabwe and $876 in Lusaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kabwe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kabwe. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lusaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.