Cost of Living Comparison Between Livingstone and Ndola Cost of Living Comparison Between Livingstone and Ndola

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $208 per month in Livingstone vs $751 in Ndola, rent included.

A couple spends around $391 per month in Livingstone vs $1,768 in Ndola, rent included.

A family of three spends $573 per month in Livingstone vs $2,784 in Ndola, rent included.

Livingstone is about 72% cheaper than Ndola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Livingstone and Ndola are more affordable than the global median – Livingstone 85% lower, Ndola 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 ZMW 149

$5.75 ZMW 110

35.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.81 ZMW 609

$31.73 ZMW 608

0.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 ZMW 175

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

78.56%

Cappuccino

$5.40 ZMW 103

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

86.85%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ZMW 6.76

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

Wine (Bottle)

$20.89 ZMW 400

$10.45 ZMW 200

99.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 ZMW 50.8

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

69.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

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 Ndola: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Livingstone versus $32.00 in Ndola. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $42.00 vs $233 – 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 Ndola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $208 in Livingstone, $751 in Ndola – roughly 261% apart. Ndola 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 $1,127 in Ndola. 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 Ndola. 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 $751 in Ndola. 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 $208 in Livingstone and $751 in Ndola, 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, Ndola makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.