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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $605 per month in Kafue vs $885 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $953 per month in Kafue vs $1,521 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,302 per month in Kafue vs $2,157 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kafue is about 32% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kafue and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 56% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.73 ZMW 112

$5.79 ZMW 113

-1.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.86 ZMW 605

$31.22 ZMW 612

-1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 ZMW 101

$5.32 ZMW 104

-3.01%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ZMW 55.9

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

$0.75 ZMW 14.63

$0.77 ZMW 15.00

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ZMW 9.81

$0.51 ZMW 9.96

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ZMW 25.08

$1.27 ZMW 24.80

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ZMW 45.11

$2.38 ZMW 46.60

-3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ZMW 35.96

$1.82 ZMW 35.60

0.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ZMW 24.71

$1.27 ZMW 24.85

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ZMW 41.74

$2.15 ZMW 42.10

-0.93%

Eggs

$1.97 ZMW 38.63

$2.02 ZMW 39.50

-2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 ZMW 211

$10.76 ZMW 211

0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 132

$6.44 ZMW 126

4.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 ZMW 132

$6.92 ZMW 136

-2.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 ZMW 69.9

$3.49 ZMW 68.3

2.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ZMW 50.0

$2.55 ZMW 49.96

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 ZMW 74.4

$3.81 ZMW 74.6

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ZMW 30.63

$1.59 ZMW 31.19

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 ZMW 51.0

$2.65 ZMW 51.9

-1.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 ZMW 38.05

$1.93 ZMW 37.89

0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ZMW 23.59

$1.17 ZMW 23.02

2.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ZMW 15.88

$0.82 ZMW 16.05

-1.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 ZMW 62.5

$3.13 ZMW 61.4

1.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.60 ZMW 208

$10.15 ZMW 199

4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.83

$1.51 ZMW 29.51

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 45.90

$2.43 ZMW 47.71

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ZMW 20.89

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 ZMW 991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ZMW 50.8

$2.63 ZMW 51.5

-1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 ZMW 31.67

$1.57 ZMW 30.73

3.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 ZMW 100

$5.10 ZMW 99.9

0.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 ZMW 31.55

$1.55 ZMW 30.39

3.87%

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

$7,734 ZMW 151.6K

$7,668 ZMW 150.3K

0.87%

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

$27.2K ZMW 532.7K

$27.1K ZMW 531.8K

0.18%

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

$82.0 ZMW 1,607

$83.3 ZMW 1,632

-1.54%

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

$10.99 ZMW 215

$10.68 ZMW 209

2.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 ZMW 1,127

-0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ZMW 1,117

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.72 ZMW 308

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ZMW 125

$6.37 ZMW 125

0.16%

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

$146 ZMW 2,868

$141 ZMW 2,757

4.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ZMW 328.3K

$17.0K ZMW 332.3K

-1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.80 ZMW 466

$24.26 ZMW 475

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.75 ZMW 309

$15.66 ZMW 307

0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.80 ZMW 917

$46.46 ZMW 911

0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ZMW 1,458

$74.5 ZMW 1,460

-0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ZMW 7,708

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ZMW 3,633

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ZMW 21.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ZMW 11.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,920 ZMW 37.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,078 ZMW 99.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 ZMW 6,439

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kafue: September 12, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Kafue versus $31.00 in Lusaka. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Kafue vs $248 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: $605 in Kafue, $885 in Lusaka – roughly 46% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $907 per month in Kafue and $1,328 in Lusaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $605 in Kafue and $885 in Lusaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $146 per month in Kafue and $141 in Lusaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kafue, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Lusaka at $885. In Kafue it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lusaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.