Cost of Living Comparison Between Livingstone and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Livingstone and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $176 per month in Livingstone vs $876 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $316 per month in Livingstone vs $1,489 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $457 per month in Livingstone vs $2,103 in Lusaka, rent included.

Livingstone is about 80% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Livingstone and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Livingstone 87% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.11 ZMW 109

$7.11 ZMW 127

-14.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.45 ZMW 436

$24.96 ZMW 446

-2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 ZMW 132

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

103.86%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ZMW 75.1

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

108.96%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ZMW 4.95

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

Wine (Bottle)

$21.62 ZMW 386

$10.95 ZMW 195

97.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ZMW 31.55

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

53.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

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 Livingstone: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Livingstone versus $25.00 in Lusaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $43.00 vs $177 – making Livingstone 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

Livingstone vs Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $176 in Livingstone, $876 in Lusaka – roughly 398% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $264 per month in Livingstone and $1,313 in Lusaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Livingstone and $25.00 in Lusaka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $176 in Livingstone and $876 in Lusaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $176 in Livingstone and $876 in Lusaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Livingstone – 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 Livingstone. 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.