Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitwe and Lusaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Kitwe: $186 a month against $860 in Lusaka, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index

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Kitwe

🇿🇲 Zambia

$186

/mo nomad

Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$860

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kitwe and in Lusaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kitwe and in Lusaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $186 per month in Kitwe vs $860 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kitwe $186
Lusaka $860

A couple spends around $1,228 per month in Kitwe vs $1,472 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kitwe $1,228
Lusaka $1,472

A family of three spends $2,270 per month in Kitwe vs $2,084 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kitwe $2,270
Lusaka $2,084

Kitwe is about 78% cheaper than Lusaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kitwe and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Kitwe 86% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 ZMW 111

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 ZMW 610

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ZMW 97.9

Cappuccino

$2.56 ZMW 51.9

$2.91 ZMW 59.0

-12.03%

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

$0.58 ZMW 11.71

$0.72 ZMW 14.48

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ZMW 15.42

$0.45 ZMW 9.06

68.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 ZMW 40.98

$1.22 ZMW 24.68

65.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ZMW 49.76

$2.18 ZMW 44.21

12.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ZMW 34.76

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZMW 20.58

$1.19 ZMW 24.17

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 ZMW 40.42

Eggs

$1.94 ZMW 39.35

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ZMW 207

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 ZMW 123

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZMW 126

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ZMW 65.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ZMW 49.53

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 ZMW 66.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ZMW 30.13

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 52.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 ZMW 37.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZMW 22.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZMW 15.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 ZMW 50.3

$2.93 ZMW 59.3

-15.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ZMW 199

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 22.83

$1.37 ZMW 27.75

-17.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 ZMW 19.93

$2.21 ZMW 44.73

-55.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 19.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 ZMW 1,222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 ZMW 49.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 ZMW 30.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 ZMW 99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ZMW 28.72

$1.47 ZMW 29.72

-3.40%

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

$7,434 ZMW 150.5K

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

$30.4K ZMW 615.0K

$25.3K ZMW 512.4K

20.02%

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

$70.3 ZMW 1,424

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

$10.39 ZMW 210

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 ZMW 2,056

$54.2 ZMW 1,097

87.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.11 ZMW 306

$52.9 ZMW 1,071

-71.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.77 ZMW 299

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 ZMW 118

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

$609 ZMW 12.3K

$148 ZMW 3,006

310.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ZMW 241.7K

$20.4K ZMW 413.0K

-41.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.88 ZMW 504

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.32 ZMW 351

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.96 ZMW 910

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 ZMW 1,344

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 ZMW 24.4K

$388 ZMW 7,862

210.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ZMW 3,577

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,451 ZMW 49.6K

$1,074 ZMW 21.7K

128.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 ZMW 40.7K

$587 ZMW 11.9K

242.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,929 ZMW 39.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,657 ZMW 175.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ZMW 7,363

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

24.14%

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

Last update for Kitwe: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kitwe

–

Lusaka

$232 27%

Accommodation & Living

Kitwe

–

Lusaka

$177 20.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kitwe

–

Lusaka

$135 15.7%

Eating Out

Kitwe

–

Lusaka

$108 12.6%

Getting Around

Kitwe

–

Lusaka

$74 8.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Kitwe

–

Lusaka

$69 8%

Sport & Entertainment

Kitwe

–

Lusaka

$65 7.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,205 in Kitwe versus $388 in Lusaka. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Kitwe

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🕒 Local time

20:15 8:15 PM

Same time as Kitwe

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

522,092

1,742,979 Capital

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 4.94 USD

100 ZMW = 4.41 EUR

100 ZMW = 4.94 USD

100 ZMW = 4.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kitwe Lusaka 290 km

From you

Kitwe
Lusaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kitwe vs Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $186 in Kitwe, $860 in Lusaka – Kitwe comes out roughly 78% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $278 per month in Kitwe and $1,290 in Lusaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lusaka, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $388 there versus $1,205 in Kitwe.

Kindergarten costs $609 per month in Kitwe and $148 in Lusaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $186 in Kitwe and $860 in Lusaka. That makes Kitwe about 78% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $186 in Kitwe and $860 in Lusaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Lusaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $186 in Kitwe to $860 in Lusaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.