Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Chingola

For one person, living is cheaper in Chingola: $426 a month against $876 in Lusaka, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index

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Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$876

/mo nomad

Chingola

🇿🇲 Zambia

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lusaka and in Chingola

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lusaka and in Chingola actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $876 in Lusaka versus $426 in Chingola.

Lusaka $876
Chingola $426

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Lusaka versus $725 in Chingola.

Lusaka $1,497
Chingola $725

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,117 in Lusaka versus $1,025 in Chingola.

Lusaka $2,117
Chingola $1,025

Living in Lusaka is roughly 106% more expensive than in Chingola, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 35% lower, Chingola 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 ZMW 112

$15.04 ZMW 299

-62.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ZMW 606

$24.85 ZMW 494

22.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ZMW 102

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZMW 56.8

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

$0.78 ZMW 15.60

$0.49 ZMW 9.68

59.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ZMW 8.92

$0.37 ZMW 7.28

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 25.56

$0.59 ZMW 11.65

118.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ZMW 46.24

$1.24 ZMW 24.66

87.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ZMW 33.20

$1.81 ZMW 35.92

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ZMW 24.48

$1.16 ZMW 23.02

6.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 ZMW 41.62

$2.54 ZMW 50.6

-17.72%

Eggs

$1.90 ZMW 37.77

$1.78 ZMW 35.41

6.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 ZMW 206

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ZMW 128

$5.12 ZMW 102

25.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 129

$4.46 ZMW 88.8

45.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 ZMW 68.5

$2.06 ZMW 40.97

67.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ZMW 48.71

$1.95 ZMW 38.86

25.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 ZMW 72.1

$1.99 ZMW 39.58

81.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 31.35

$2.03 ZMW 40.44

-22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ZMW 52.0

$2.96 ZMW 58.9

-11.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ZMW 37.39

$1.53 ZMW 30.50

22.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 22.93

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ZMW 14.96

$0.83 ZMW 16.57

-9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ZMW 61.1

$1.48 ZMW 29.34

107.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 ZMW 203

$5.15 ZMW 102

98.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ZMW 28.24

$0.58 ZMW 11.49

144.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ZMW 44.47

$0.78 ZMW 15.45

187.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 20.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 ZMW 1,003

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ZMW 49.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 ZMW 30.29

$0.58 ZMW 11.45

162.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ZMW 102

$10.15 ZMW 202

-49.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ZMW 29.71

$1.34 ZMW 26.68

11.19%

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

$7,550 ZMW 150.2K

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

$27.2K ZMW 540.1K

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

$79.3 ZMW 1,577

$49.82 ZMW 991

59.17%

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

$10.56 ZMW 210

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 ZMW 1,093

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ZMW 1,072

$10.21 ZMW 203

427.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 ZMW 303

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ZMW 121

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

$141 ZMW 2,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 331.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 ZMW 467

$19.91 ZMW 396

17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.47 ZMW 308

$12.82 ZMW 255

20.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.00 ZMW 895

$50.7 ZMW 1,008

-11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ZMW 1,429

$74.6 ZMW 1,483

-3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ZMW 7,794

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 ZMW 21.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ZMW 12.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,949 ZMW 38.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,934 ZMW 98.1K

$15.1K ZMW 300.3K

-67.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$311 ZMW 6,182

$110 ZMW 2,178

183.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chingola: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Lusaka

$239 27.3%

Chingola

–

Accommodation & Living

Lusaka

$181 20.6%

Chingola

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lusaka

$145 16.5%

Chingola

–

Eating Out

Lusaka

$111 12.6%

Chingola

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lusaka

$70 8%

Chingola

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lusaka

$66 7.5%

Chingola

–

Getting Around

Lusaka

$65 7.4%

Chingola

–

Cost Breakdown

Lusaka pays 184% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Lusaka vs $25.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $163 per month, with Chingola cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🇿🇲 Chingola

🕒 Local time

07:36 7:36 AM

Same time as Lusaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,742,979 Capital

210,073

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Lusaka Chingola 320 km

From you

Lusaka
Chingola

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chingola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and utilities. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 184% higher in Lusaka, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Lusaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $30.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $426 in Chingola versus $876 in Lusaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Lusaka. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola 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 Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.