Cost of Living Comparison Between Kafue and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kafue and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $707 per month in Kafue vs $876 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,064 per month in Kafue vs $1,489 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,422 per month in Kafue vs $2,103 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kafue is about 19% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kafue and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 47% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.41 ZMW 132

$7.11 ZMW 127

4.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.85 ZMW 444

$24.96 ZMW 446

-0.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 34.47

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

-3.98%

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

$0.67 ZMW 11.93

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

-8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ZMW 6.55

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ZMW 16.61

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

-3.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.04

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

-4.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 23.80

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.33

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 ZMW 29.16

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

3.16%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.51

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 ZMW 141

$7.86 ZMW 140

0.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 67.5

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

-1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.71 ZMW 84.2

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

3.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ZMW 45.03

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

0.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 28.36

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 48.03

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ZMW 20.60

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

-1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 ZMW 33.26

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

-0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ZMW 24.51

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

-0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ZMW 16.64

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.31

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.51 ZMW 44.77

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 ZMW 193

$10.95 ZMW 195

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZMW 20.05

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ZMW 26.67

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

-0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 ZMW 29.10

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

69.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.31 ZMW 827

$38.24 ZMW 683

21.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.81

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 ZMW 168

$8.92 ZMW 159

5.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ZMW 21.41

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

0.84%

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

$8,039 ZMW 143.5K

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

0.90%

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

$28.9K ZMW 515.8K

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

1.78%

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

$91.7 ZMW 1,637

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

1.79%

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

$53.2 ZMW 950

$53.6 ZMW 956

-0.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,219

$127 ZMW 2,263

-1.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ZMW 74.1

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

-3.26%

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

$177 ZMW 3,154

$177 ZMW 3,161

-0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,422 ZMW 168.2K

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.62 ZMW 332

$19.25 ZMW 344

-3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.80 ZMW 300

$17.27 ZMW 308

-2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 ZMW 1,501

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 ZMW 1,326

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

0.76%

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 Kafue: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kafue versus $25.00 in Lusaka. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Kafue vs $177 in Lusaka – so Lusaka wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kafue vs Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $707 in Kafue, $876 in Lusaka – roughly 24% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,060 per month in Kafue and $1,313 in Lusaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $177 per month in Kafue and $177 in Lusaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Lusaka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $707 in Kafue and $876 in Lusaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kafue – 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 Kafue. 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.