Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Chilanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Chilanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in Lusaka versus $623 in Chilanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Lusaka versus $989 in Chilanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lusaka versus $1,355 in Chilanga.

Living in Lusaka is roughly 46% more expensive than in Chilanga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 34% lower, Chilanga 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$5.68 ZMW 109

0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$31.47 ZMW 601

1.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$5.41 ZMW 103

-1.85%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$2.92 ZMW 55.7

2.05%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$0.79 ZMW 15.18

3.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$0.52 ZMW 9.87

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$1.34 ZMW 25.58

1.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$2.33 ZMW 44.58

0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.75 ZMW 33.33

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$1.27 ZMW 24.23

-1.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$2.19 ZMW 41.81

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$2.02 ZMW 38.53

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$10.60 ZMW 203

1.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$6.33 ZMW 121

3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$6.82 ZMW 130

-1.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$3.95 ZMW 75.4

-10.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$2.55 ZMW 48.78

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$3.95 ZMW 75.5

-5.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$1.63 ZMW 31.11

-2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$2.73 ZMW 52.1

0.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$2.10 ZMW 40.03

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$1.15 ZMW 21.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$0.76 ZMW 14.60

9.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$3.12 ZMW 59.5

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$10.64 ZMW 203

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$1.55 ZMW 29.63

-4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$2.48 ZMW 47.40

-0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$2.61 ZMW 49.88

2.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$1.43 ZMW 27.34

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$5.37 ZMW 103

-2.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$1.63 ZMW 31.04

-3.07%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$7,864 ZMW 150.2K

-0.93%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$33.9K ZMW 647.2K

-18.25%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$84.1 ZMW 1,605

-0.48%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$10.88 ZMW 208

1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$57.5 ZMW 1,097

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$6.28 ZMW 120

1.43%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$142 ZMW 2,721

2.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$16.5K ZMW 315.3K

0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$25.60 ZMW 489

-3.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$15.43 ZMW 295

3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$45.59 ZMW 871

4.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$77.3 ZMW 1,476

-0.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Lusaka vs $31.00 in Chilanga. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $250, with Lusaka cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Chilanga differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $623 including rent). Chilanga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,360 in Lusaka and $934 in Chilanga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $147 in Lusaka versus $142 in Chilanga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chilanga – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $32.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $623 in Chilanga versus $907 in Lusaka, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilanga but tight or insufficient in Lusaka. The gap between the two cities makes Chilanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chilanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.