Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $907 per month in Lusaka vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,534 per month in Lusaka vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in Lusaka vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Lusaka is about 4% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lusaka and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 34% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$2.08 ฿68.6

174.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$19.64 ฿646

62.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$5.65 ฿186

-6.02%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$1.81 ฿59.4

64.64%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$0.71 ฿23.45

15.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$0.32 ฿10.38

46.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$2.24 ฿73.6

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$3.63 ฿119

-35.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.96 ฿64.4

-5.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$1.50 ฿49.39

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$1.34 ฿43.93

63.43%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$2.26 ฿74.5

-9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$16.26 ฿535

-33.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$2.95 ฿97.1

121.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$9.94 ฿327

-32.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$2.57 ฿84.6

38.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$1.06 ฿34.73

135.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$1.61 ฿53.0

131.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$1.52 ฿49.97

4.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$1.27 ฿41.77

115.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$1.07 ฿35.06

84.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$0.72 ฿23.68

59.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$0.51 ฿16.72

62.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$4.19 ฿138

-23.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$17.87 ฿587

-41.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$1.69 ฿55.7

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$2.84 ฿93.3

-13.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$0.93 ฿30.43

9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$53.9 ฿1,771

-3.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$1.23 ฿40.59

117.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$0.58 ฿18.96

168.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$2.42 ฿79.7

116.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$1.41 ฿46.43

12.06%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

-63.67%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

1.35%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$63.7 ฿2,093

31.38%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$12.85 ฿423

-13.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$20.22 ฿665

180.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$38.74 ฿1,274

45.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$3.97 ฿130

302.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$6.74 ฿222

-5.49%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$778 ฿25.6K

-81.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$14.6K ฿480.4K

13.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$54.3 ฿1,785

-54.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$25.45 ฿837

-37.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$94.3 ฿3,102

-49.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$73.4 ฿2,415

4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$490 ฿16.1K

-20.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$289 ฿9,512

-36.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$894 ฿29.4K

25.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$517 ฿17.0K

15.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-3.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$1,477 ฿48.6K

257.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$602 ฿19.8K

-44.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

420.65%

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Lusaka versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 79% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai 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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Lusaka, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,360 per month in Lusaka and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. 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.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Lusaka and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lusaka, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Lusaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lusaka costs $907 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.