Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $855 per month in Lusaka vs $704 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,450 per month in Lusaka vs $1,081 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,045 per month in Lusaka vs $1,458 in Da Nang, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 21% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Lusaka and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 36% lower, Da Nang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ZMW 128

$1.93 ₫50.8K

263.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.68 ZMW 449

$19.46 ₫511.5K

26.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

$4.65 ₫122.2K

-20.43%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

$1.61 ₫42.3K

19.88%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

$0.51 ₫13.4K

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

$0.29 ₫7,592

17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

$1.07 ₫28.2K

-12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

$1.59 ₫41.7K

15.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

$1.38 ₫36.3K

-3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

$0.95 ₫24.9K

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

$1.17 ₫30.7K

35.04%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

$1.43 ₫37.5K

23.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

$12.59 ₫331.0K

-37.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

$3.64 ₫95.8K

3.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

$9.79 ₫257.3K

-51.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

$2.76 ₫72.4K

-6.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

$0.94 ₫24.8K

67.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

$1.12 ₫29.4K

141.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

$1.05 ₫27.6K

10.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

$1.10 ₫28.9K

63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

$1.19 ₫31.4K

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$1.00 ₫26.3K

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

$0.48 ₫12.7K

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

$1.38 ₫36.3K

84.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 ZMW 194

$7.52 ₫197.7K

41.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

$0.81 ₫21.4K

34.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

$1.60 ₫42.1K

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

$0.32 ₫8,321

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

$3.73 ₫98.2K

950.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

$0.82 ₫21.5K

239.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

$0.69 ₫18.3K

69.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

$12.03 ₫316.4K

-23.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

$0.91 ₫24.0K

30.77%

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

$27.2K ₫715.1M

-70.99%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

$28.1K ₫739.2M

1.10%

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

$74.1 ₫1.9M

22.48%

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

$5.97 ₫157.0K

794.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

$8.07 ₫212.3K

1424.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

$20.06 ₫527.5K

126.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

$7.52 ₫197.6K

81.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

$3.00 ₫78.9K

41.67%

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

$153 ₫4.0M

15.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

$12.8K ₫336.9M

-26.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

$39.61 ₫1.0M

-52.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

$25.60 ₫673.1K

-32.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

$52.7 ₫1.4M

60.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

$76.9 ₫2.0M

-6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

$365 ₫9.6M

-37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

$244 ₫6.4M

-48.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

$732 ₫19.2M

40.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

$458 ₫12.0M

29.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

$3,767 ₫99.0M

-49.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

$1,304 ₫34.3M

987.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

$359 ₫9.4M

-20.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

134.30%

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

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $228 in Lusaka versus $365 in Da Nang. 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 25% higher in Da Nang, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Lusaka versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Lusaka vs $186 in Da Nang – so Lusaka 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $855 in Lusaka, $704 in Da Nang – roughly 21% apart. Lusaka 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 $1,056 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Da Nang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Lusaka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Lusaka and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $855 in Lusaka and $704 in Da Nang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $704 in Da Nang to $855 in Lusaka. 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 Da Nang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lusaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.