Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Kabwe Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Kabwe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $876 per month in Lusaka vs $635 in Kabwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,489 per month in Lusaka vs $947 in Kabwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,103 per month in Lusaka vs $1,258 in Kabwe, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 38% more than Kabwe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lusaka and Kabwe are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 35% lower, Kabwe 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$7.03 ZMW 125

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$24.72 ZMW 441

0.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$2.02 ZMW 36.14

-0.50%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$0.67 ZMW 11.96

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.33 ZMW 5.96

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$0.94 ZMW 16.72

2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$1.74 ZMW 31.04

4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$1.33 ZMW 23.78

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$0.79 ZMW 14.14

-6.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.61 ZMW 28.70

-1.86%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$1.03 ZMW 18.32

71.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$7.56 ZMW 135

3.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$3.79 ZMW 67.6

1.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$4.53 ZMW 80.8

0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$2.47 ZMW 44.07

1.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$0.80 ZMW 14.33

97.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$2.70 ZMW 48.27

-0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$1.13 ZMW 20.14

3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$1.88 ZMW 33.48

-0.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$1.39 ZMW 24.77

-0.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$0.94 ZMW 16.80

-7.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$0.48 ZMW 8.50

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$2.44 ZMW 43.61

4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$11.06 ZMW 197

-0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.12 ZMW 20.02

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$1.57 ZMW 28.11

-4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$2.79 ZMW 49.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$9.42 ZMW 168

-5.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$1.20 ZMW 21.36

-0.83%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$7,936 ZMW 141.7K

0.39%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$28.9K ZMW 515.7K

-1.74%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$91.8 ZMW 1,639

-1.90%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$52.7 ZMW 940

1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$126 ZMW 2,244

0.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

5.67%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$178 ZMW 3,171

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$9,630 ZMW 171.9K

-1.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$18.85 ZMW 337

2.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$16.96 ZMW 303

1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$74.3 ZMW 1,325

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kabwe: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Lusaka versus $25.00 in Kabwe. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Lusaka vs $169 in Kabwe – so Kabwe 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 Kabwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka costs about 38% more than Kabwe, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,313 per month in Lusaka and $953 in Kabwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 5% more in Lusaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $876 in Lusaka and $635 in Kabwe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kabwe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kabwe. 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.