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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $640 per month in Kabwe vs $855 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $957 per month in Kabwe vs $1,450 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,275 per month in Kabwe vs $2,045 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kabwe is about 25% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Kabwe and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Kabwe 52% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 ZMW 129

$7.01 ZMW 128

0.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.81 ZMW 452

$24.68 ZMW 449

0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 ZMW 68.0

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

1.08%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ZMW 36.87

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

5.18%

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

$0.71 ZMW 13.01

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

5.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ZMW 6.65

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ZMW 17.25

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ZMW 31.97

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

-4.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.15

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.50

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ZMW 30.22

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

5.06%

Eggs

$1.00 ZMW 18.13

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

-43.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 ZMW 140

$7.92 ZMW 144

-2.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 69.8

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

1.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.54 ZMW 82.6

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

-4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ZMW 47.40

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

1.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ZMW 14.73

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

-48.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.77 ZMW 50.5

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 20.56

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

-2.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 ZMW 34.35

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZMW 24.84

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

2.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.49

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 ZMW 45.63

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 ZMW 192

$10.63 ZMW 194

-0.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZMW 20.46

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ZMW 28.27

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

-1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 ZMW 51.3

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

1.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 ZMW 172

$9.20 ZMW 167

2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.34

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

3.36%

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

$7,886 ZMW 143.5K

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

-0.06%

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

$28.9K ZMW 525.7K

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

1.60%

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

$91.7 ZMW 1,669

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

1.08%

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

$52.3 ZMW 953

$53.4 ZMW 972

-2.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,314

$123 ZMW 2,239

3.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 ZMW 74.5

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

-3.76%

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

$177 ZMW 3,223

$178 ZMW 3,232

-0.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,446 ZMW 171.9K

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

-0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.30 ZMW 351

$18.67 ZMW 340

3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.73 ZMW 304

$17.20 ZMW 313

-2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 ZMW 1,554

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ZMW 1,329

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kabwe: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 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: $170 vs $178 – 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 34% 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 $959 per month in Kabwe and $1,283 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 $640 in Kabwe and $855 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.