Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Burgas Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Burgas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $876 per month in Lusaka vs $1,134 in Burgas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,489 per month in Lusaka vs $1,714 in Burgas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,103 per month in Lusaka vs $2,294 in Burgas, rent included.

Lusaka is about 23% cheaper than Burgas, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Lusaka and Burgas are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 35% lower, Burgas 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$11.93 BGN 19.85

-40.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$41.19 BGN 68.5

-39.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$8.95 BGN 14.89

-59.44%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$2.55 BGN 4.25

-21.18%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$1.31 BGN 2.18

-44.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.65 BGN 1.08

-47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$2.00 BGN 3.32

-52.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$2.98 BGN 4.96

-38.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$0.93 BGN 1.55

-20.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-18.97%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$3.36 BGN 5.59

-47.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$9.66 BGN 16.06

-18.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$7.91 BGN 13.16

-51.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$11.53 BGN 19.18

-60.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$1.96 BGN 3.27

27.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$2.07 BGN 3.44

-23.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$2.01 BGN 3.34

33.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$2.57 BGN 4.27

-54.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$1.44 BGN 2.39

29.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$1.31 BGN 2.17

5.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$1.02 BGN 1.69

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$0.77 BGN 1.28

-32.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$3.52 BGN 5.85

-27.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$6.68 BGN 11.12

63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.02 BGN 1.70

10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$1.73 BGN 2.88

-13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$0.90 BGN 1.50

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

$34.91 BGN 58.1

9.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$1.21 BGN 2.01

130.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

$0.67 BGN 1.11

71.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$13.22 BGN 21.99

-32.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$1.54 BGN 2.57

-22.73%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$32.1K BGN 53.5K

-75.21%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$26.0K BGN 43.2K

9.36%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$93.3 BGN 155

-3.43%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$16.36 BGN 27.21

227.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$14.05 BGN 23.37

802.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

$30.89 BGN 51.4

46.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

$15.05 BGN 25.03

-7.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$8.65 BGN 14.39

-50.40%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$234 BGN 388

-24.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$4,083 BGN 6,793

133.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$59.6 BGN 99.1

-67.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$42.36 BGN 70.5

-59.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$80.9 BGN 135

6.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$71.6 BGN 119

2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

$508 BGN 845

-55.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

$386 BGN 643

-68.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

$885 BGN 1,472

19.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

$615 BGN 1,023

-4.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

$2,512 BGN 4,179

-21.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

$1,817 BGN 3,023

135.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

$1,024 BGN 1,703

-71.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

447.05%

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Burgas: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $224 in Lusaka versus $508 in Burgas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 246% higher in Burgas, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Lusaka versus $41.00 in Burgas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $236 – making Lusaka 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

Lusaka vs Burgas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $876 in Lusaka, $1,134 in Burgas – roughly 29% apart. Burgas costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,313 per month in Lusaka and $1,700 in Burgas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lusaka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Lusaka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $177 per month in Lusaka and $234 in Burgas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lusaka, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Burgas at $1,134. In Lusaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burgas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Burgas has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $876 in Lusaka to $1,134 in Burgas. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lusaka. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Burgas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.