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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $907 per month in Lusaka vs $1,260 in Burgas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,534 per month in Lusaka vs $1,889 in Burgas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in Lusaka vs $2,517 in Burgas, rent included.

Lusaka is about 28% cheaper than Burgas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lusaka and Burgas are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 34% lower, Burgas 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$14.36 BGN 23.88

-60.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$48.65 BGN 80.9

-34.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$10.72 BGN 17.84

-50.47%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$3.51 BGN 5.83

-15.10%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$1.11 BGN 1.85

-26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$0.77 BGN 1.28

-38.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$2.07 BGN 3.44

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$3.07 BGN 5.10

-23.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.75 BGN 2.92

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$0.95 BGN 1.58

31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$2.18 BGN 3.62

0.46%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$3.57 BGN 5.94

-42.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$9.22 BGN 15.34

16.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$8.13 BGN 13.52

-19.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$11.43 BGN 19.01

-40.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$2.26 BGN 3.76

57.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$2.11 BGN 3.52

18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$2.07 BGN 3.45

79.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$2.80 BGN 4.66

-43.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$1.41 BGN 2.35

94.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$1.45 BGN 2.42

35.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$0.99 BGN 1.64

16.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$0.78 BGN 1.30

6.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$3.81 BGN 6.34

-15.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$7.33 BGN 12.19

43.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$1.06 BGN 1.77

39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$1.93 BGN 3.21

27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$0.93 BGN 1.54

9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$35.41 BGN 58.9

47.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$1.77 BGN 2.95

50.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$0.77 BGN 1.28

102.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$12.40 BGN 20.63

-57.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$1.74 BGN 2.89

-9.20%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$31.5K BGN 52.3K

-75.23%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$23.3K BGN 38.7K

19.04%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$111 BGN 184

-24.31%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$15.26 BGN 25.39

-27.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$12.28 BGN 20.42

361.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$39.50 BGN 65.7

42.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$14.85 BGN 24.71

7.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$8.81 BGN 14.65

-27.70%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$236 BGN 393

-37.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$15.7K BGN 26.1K

5.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$60.0 BGN 99.8

-58.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$31.07 BGN 51.7

-48.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$72.5 BGN 121

-34.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$76.3 BGN 127

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$534 BGN 888

-27.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$431 BGN 716

-57.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$835 BGN 1,389

33.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$648 BGN 1,079

-8.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$2,676 BGN 4,452

-29.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$1,933 BGN 3,216

173.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$1,016 BGN 1,690

-66.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

792.31%

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Burgas: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Lusaka versus $534 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 202% 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 $32.00 in Lusaka versus $49.00 in Burgas. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Lusaka vs $243 in Burgas – so Burgas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $907 in Lusaka, $1,260 in Burgas – roughly 39% apart. Burgas costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,360 per month in Lusaka and $1,890 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 47% less in Lusaka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Lusaka and $236 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 $907, than in Burgas at $1,260. 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 $907 in Lusaka to $1,260 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.