Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitwe and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitwe and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $214 per month in Kitwe vs $866 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $350 per month in Kitwe vs $1,460 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $486 per month in Kitwe vs $2,054 in Lusaka, rent included.

Kitwe is about 75% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Kitwe and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Kitwe 84% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 ZMW 53.6

$7.11 ZMW 133

-59.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 ZMW 462

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 68.7

Cappuccino

$1.44 ZMW 26.87

$1.96 ZMW 36.62

-26.53%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.51

$0.67 ZMW 12.52

-16.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ZMW 7.34

$0.36 ZMW 6.78

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ZMW 17.17

$0.95 ZMW 17.73

-3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ZMW 26.98

$1.84 ZMW 34.27

-21.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 ZMW 17.22

$1.27 ZMW 23.77

-27.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 ZMW 21.40

$0.81 ZMW 15.08

41.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 ZMW 69.8

$1.66 ZMW 30.96

125.30%

Eggs

$1.84 ZMW 34.36

$1.79 ZMW 33.29

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 ZMW 142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 ZMW 134

$3.80 ZMW 70.8

89.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ZMW 121

$4.66 ZMW 86.9

39.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ZMW 55.6

$2.56 ZMW 47.75

16.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.69

$1.65 ZMW 30.86

-29.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.75

$2.71 ZMW 50.5

-56.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.56

$1.13 ZMW 20.98

2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ZMW 55.4

$1.80 ZMW 33.59

65.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 ZMW 44.34

$1.33 ZMW 24.82

78.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 21.58

$0.89 ZMW 16.56

30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ZMW 11.20

$0.51 ZMW 9.60

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 ZMW 33.47

$2.53 ZMW 47.28

-29.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 ZMW 197

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ZMW 14.00

$1.09 ZMW 20.29

-31.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 27.63

$1.51 ZMW 28.16

-1.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 19.24

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 ZMW 718

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 51.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 ZMW 21.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ZMW 167

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 23.05

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

$8,050 ZMW 150.1K

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

$28.2K ZMW 525.8K

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

$91.9 ZMW 1,714

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

$53.3 ZMW 994

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$128 ZMW 2,382

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.78 ZMW 835

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.62 ZMW 254

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 ZMW 79.7

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

$178 ZMW 3,329

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,456 ZMW 176.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 347

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.88 ZMW 315

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,582

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 ZMW 1,349

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 ZMW 4,192

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 ZMW 2,300

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 ZMW 19.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 ZMW 11.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,914 ZMW 35.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,197 ZMW 96.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$333 ZMW 6,208

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kitwe: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 28, 2026

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: $214 in Kitwe, $866 in Lusaka – roughly 304% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $321 per month in Kitwe and $1,299 in Lusaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $214 in Kitwe and $866 in Lusaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $214 in Kitwe and $866 in Lusaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kitwe – 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 Kitwe. 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.