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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $208 per month in Livingstone vs $907 in Lusaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $391 per month in Livingstone vs $1,534 in Lusaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $573 per month in Livingstone vs $2,161 in Lusaka, rent included.

Livingstone is about 77% cheaper than Lusaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Livingstone and Lusaka are more affordable than the global median – Livingstone 85% lower, Lusaka 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 ZMW 149

$5.70 ZMW 109

36.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.81 ZMW 608

$31.91 ZMW 609

-0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 ZMW 175

$5.31 ZMW 101

72.50%

Cappuccino

$5.40 ZMW 103

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

81.21%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ZMW 6.74

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

Wine (Bottle)

$20.89 ZMW 399

$10.52 ZMW 201

98.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 ZMW 50.6

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

69.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Livingstone: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Livingstone versus $32.00 in Lusaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $42.00 vs $249 – 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: $208 in Livingstone, $907 in Lusaka – roughly 336% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $312 per month in Livingstone and $1,360 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 $32.00 in Livingstone and $32.00 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 $208 in Livingstone and $907 in Lusaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingstone, where all-in costs run around $208, than in Lusaka at $907. In Livingstone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lusaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.