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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $855 per month in Lusaka vs $1,147 in Burgas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,450 per month in Lusaka vs $1,731 in Burgas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,045 per month in Lusaka vs $2,315 in Burgas, rent included.

Lusaka is about 25% cheaper than Burgas, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Lusaka and Burgas are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 36% lower, Burgas 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ZMW 128

$11.85 BGN 19.71

-40.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.68 ZMW 449

$40.52 BGN 67.4

-39.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

$8.67 BGN 14.42

-57.32%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

$2.45 BGN 4.08

-21.22%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

$1.38 BGN 2.29

-51.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

$0.66 BGN 1.09

-48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

$2.08 BGN 3.46

-54.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

$2.87 BGN 4.77

-35.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

$1.63 BGN 2.72

-18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

$0.94 BGN 1.57

-14.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

$1.90 BGN 3.15

-16.84%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

$3.39 BGN 5.63

-47.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

$9.69 BGN 16.12

-18.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

$7.81 BGN 13.00

-51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

$11.38 BGN 18.92

-58.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

$1.89 BGN 3.14

35.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

$2.11 BGN 3.51

-25.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

$2.07 BGN 3.45

30.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

$2.48 BGN 4.12

-53.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

$1.51 BGN 2.51

19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

$1.37 BGN 2.27

-2.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$1.02 BGN 1.69

-9.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

$0.83 BGN 1.39

-38.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

$3.63 BGN 6.03

-30.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 ZMW 194

$7.04 BGN 11.70

50.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

$0.99 BGN 1.65

10.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

$1.79 BGN 2.99

-12.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

$0.86 BGN 1.43

11.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

$36.00 BGN 59.9

8.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

$1.22 BGN 2.04

127.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

$0.71 BGN 1.18

64.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

$13.21 BGN 21.97

-30.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

$1.48 BGN 2.46

-19.59%

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

$32.8K BGN 54.5K

-75.91%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

$25.8K BGN 42.9K

10.34%

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

$95.6 BGN 159

-5.07%

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

$16.53 BGN 27.49

223.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

$13.72 BGN 22.82

796.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

$30.39 BGN 50.6

49.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

$15.57 BGN 25.90

-12.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

$9.10 BGN 15.15

-53.30%

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

$238 BGN 395

-25.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

$4,104 BGN 6,827

130.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

$60.4 BGN 100

-69.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

$41.12 BGN 68.4

-58.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

$83.5 BGN 139

1.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

$70.8 BGN 118

2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

$512 BGN 852

-55.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

$386 BGN 642

-67.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

$869 BGN 1,445

18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

$612 BGN 1,018

-3.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

$2,594 BGN 4,316

-27.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

$1,864 BGN 3,102

661.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

$1,021 BGN 1,698

-71.93%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Burgas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $228 in Lusaka versus $512 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 256% 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: $178 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: $855 in Lusaka, $1,147 in Burgas – roughly 34% apart. Burgas costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,283 per month in Lusaka and $1,721 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 9% less in Lusaka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $178 per month in Lusaka and $238 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 $855, than in Burgas at $1,147. 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 $855 in Lusaka to $1,147 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.