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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $706 per month in Kafue vs $855 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Kafue vs $1,450 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,416 per month in Kafue vs $2,045 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kafue is about 17% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kafue and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Kafue 47% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ZMW 129

$7.01 ZMW 128

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.67 ZMW 449

$24.68 ZMW 449

-0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 ZMW 68.5

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

1.62%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.60

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

1.55%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.28

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.61

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ZMW 16.98

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ZMW 32.81

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

-2.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 ZMW 23.19

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

-4.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.42

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

-1.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 ZMW 30.17

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

5.06%

Eggs

$1.86 ZMW 33.81

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.67 ZMW 140

$7.92 ZMW 144

-3.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ZMW 69.4

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

0.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 83.2

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

-3.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 ZMW 45.84

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

-1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 28.90

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 ZMW 50.9

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

3.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.19

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 ZMW 34.38

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 25.10

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 ZMW 16.02

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.40

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ZMW 43.98

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

-4.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.59 ZMW 193

$10.63 ZMW 194

-0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 ZMW 20.42

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 28.47

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

-0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 ZMW 29.49

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.69 ZMW 850

$39.17 ZMW 713

19.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 ZMW 48.88

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

-3.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.99 ZMW 164

$9.20 ZMW 167

-2.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.65

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

4.20%

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

$8,043 ZMW 146.4K

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

1.93%

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

$28.7K ZMW 521.9K

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

0.87%

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

$91.1 ZMW 1,658

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

0.44%

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

$52.7 ZMW 959

$53.4 ZMW 972

-1.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 ZMW 2,280

$123 ZMW 2,239

1.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 74.0

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

-4.47%

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

$177 ZMW 3,219

$178 ZMW 3,232

-0.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,516 ZMW 173.2K

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

0.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.07 ZMW 347

$18.67 ZMW 340

2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.28 ZMW 314

$17.20 ZMW 313

0.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ZMW 1,544

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,342

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

2.10%

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 Kafue: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kafue versus $25.00 in Lusaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $178 – making Kafue 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

Kafue vs Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $706 in Kafue, $855 in Lusaka – roughly 21% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,059 per month in Kafue and $1,283 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 $178 in Lusaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Lusaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $706 in Kafue and $855 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.