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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $175 per month in Livingstone vs $855 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $319 per month in Livingstone vs $1,450 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $462 per month in Livingstone vs $2,045 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.20 ZMW 113

$7.01 ZMW 128

-11.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.23 ZMW 459

$24.68 ZMW 449

2.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 ZMW 134

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

98.92%

Cappuccino

$4.05 ZMW 73.7

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

109.84%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ZMW 5.53

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

Wine (Bottle)

$22.63 ZMW 412

$10.63 ZMW 194

112.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 ZMW 31.72

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

48.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

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 Livingstone: July 14, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Livingstone versus $25.00 in Lusaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $45.00 vs $178 – 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: $175 in Livingstone, $855 in Lusaka – roughly 389% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $262 per month in Livingstone and $1,283 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 $25.00 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 $175 in Livingstone and $855 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 $175 in Livingstone and $855 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.