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 $907 per month in Lusaka vs $874 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,534 per month in Lusaka vs $1,402 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,161 per month in Lusaka vs $1,930 in Da Nang, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 4% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lusaka and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 34% lower, Da Nang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$2.33 ₫60.8K

144.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$19.42 ₫506.3K

64.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$4.46 ₫116.3K

19.06%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$1.72 ₫44.9K

73.26%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$0.68 ₫17.8K

20.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$0.34 ₫8,932

38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$1.30 ₫33.9K

4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$2.36 ₫61.6K

-0.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.54 ₫40.1K

20.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$1.22 ₫31.9K

2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$1.06 ₫27.5K

106.60%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$1.52 ₫39.7K

34.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$12.97 ₫338.0K

-17.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$4.05 ₫105.7K

61.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$9.27 ₫241.7K

-27.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$2.69 ₫70.2K

31.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$1.11 ₫28.9K

125.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$1.33 ₫34.6K

179.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$1.38 ₫35.9K

15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$1.09 ₫28.5K

151.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$1.21 ₫31.6K

62.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$1.03 ₫26.9K

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$0.52 ₫13.6K

59.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$1.55 ₫40.5K

107.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$7.71 ₫201.1K

36.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$0.90 ₫23.6K

64.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$2.14 ₫55.8K

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$0.32 ₫8,222

218.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$5.07 ₫132.1K

927.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$1.03 ₫26.9K

159.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$0.65 ₫17.0K

140.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$19.08 ₫497.3K

-72.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$0.85 ₫22.2K

85.88%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$30.7K ₫801.2M

-74.65%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$27.6K ₫718.2M

0.54%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$88.0 ₫2.3M

-4.94%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$6.28 ₫163.7K

76.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$7.91 ₫206.2K

617.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$22.18 ₫578.3K

154.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$5.30 ₫138.2K

201.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$3.02 ₫78.7K

110.93%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$161 ₫4.2M

-8.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$15.1K ₫394.3M

9.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$46.10 ₫1.2M

-46.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$27.21 ₫709.2K

-41.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$103 ₫2.7M

-53.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$81.7 ₫2.1M

-5.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$529 ₫13.8M

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$346 ₫9.0M

-47.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$1,037 ₫27.0M

7.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$809 ₫21.1M

-26.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$3,809 ₫99.3M

-50.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$1,312 ₫34.2M

302.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$350 ₫9.1M

-3.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.72

170.52%

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Lusaka versus $529 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 4% 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 $32.00 in Lusaka versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $198 – making Da Nang 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $907 in Lusaka, $874 in Da Nang – roughly 4% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,360 per month in Lusaka and $1,311 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.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Lusaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Lusaka at $907. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lusaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $874 in Da Nang to $907 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.