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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Lusaka vs $584 in Kabwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,554 per month in Lusaka vs $947 in Kabwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,201 per month in Lusaka vs $1,310 in Kabwe, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 55% more than Kabwe, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Lusaka and Kabwe are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 34% lower, Kabwe 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.79 ZMW 111

$5.76 ZMW 111

0.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ZMW 614

$31.68 ZMW 610

0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ZMW 99.0

$5.34 ZMW 103

-3.75%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ZMW 54.8

$2.91 ZMW 55.9

-2.06%

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

$0.74 ZMW 14.28

$0.76 ZMW 14.55

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.80

$0.47 ZMW 9.03

8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ZMW 24.68

$1.27 ZMW 24.40

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ZMW 44.49

$2.34 ZMW 44.96

-1.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ZMW 33.65

$1.81 ZMW 34.86

-3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ZMW 23.37

$1.27 ZMW 24.42

-4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 ZMW 40.72

$2.20 ZMW 42.36

-3.64%

Eggs

$1.95 ZMW 37.56

$1.21 ZMW 23.29

61.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.71 ZMW 206

$10.85 ZMW 209

-1.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 ZMW 129

$6.38 ZMW 123

4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.61 ZMW 127

$6.62 ZMW 127

-0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ZMW 67.9

$3.58 ZMW 68.9

-1.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ZMW 47.13

$1.07 ZMW 20.62

128.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 ZMW 71.3

$3.83 ZMW 73.8

-3.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ZMW 29.77

$1.57 ZMW 30.27

-1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 ZMW 49.73

$2.73 ZMW 52.5

-5.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.59

$1.88 ZMW 36.20

3.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ZMW 22.96

$1.15 ZMW 22.18

3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ZMW 14.67

$0.81 ZMW 15.56

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ZMW 59.7

$3.06 ZMW 58.9

1.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 ZMW 200

$10.31 ZMW 198

0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ZMW 29.45

$1.46 ZMW 28.05

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.57

$2.42 ZMW 46.61

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.67

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 ZMW 995

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 ZMW 49.18

$2.58 ZMW 49.70

-1.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 ZMW 30.74

$1.55 ZMW 29.84

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 ZMW 98.4

$5.20 ZMW 100

-1.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZMW 31.16

$1.39 ZMW 26.67

16.55%

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

$7,970 ZMW 153.4K

$7,707 ZMW 148.4K

3.42%

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

$27.6K ZMW 530.7K

$27.0K ZMW 520.2K

2.01%

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

$82.2 ZMW 1,581

$84.1 ZMW 1,620

-2.35%

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

$10.81 ZMW 208

$10.73 ZMW 206

0.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 ZMW 1,094

$57.9 ZMW 1,115

-1.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ZMW 1,104

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 ZMW 303

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 ZMW 121

$6.28 ZMW 121

0.48%

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

$144 ZMW 2,767

$141 ZMW 2,707

2.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 320.1K

$16.7K ZMW 321.5K

-0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.75 ZMW 457

$24.13 ZMW 465

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.95 ZMW 307

$16.00 ZMW 308

-0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.19 ZMW 908

$47.52 ZMW 915

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ZMW 1,445

$74.3 ZMW 1,431

1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 ZMW 7,389

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ZMW 3,496

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 ZMW 21.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 ZMW 11.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,905 ZMW 36.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,172 ZMW 99.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 ZMW 6,395

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kabwe: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Lusaka versus $32.00 in Kabwe. Groceries tell a different story – $245 in Lusaka vs $235 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 55% more than Kabwe, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,362 per month in Lusaka and $876 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 $32.00 in Lusaka and $32.00 in Kabwe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kabwe, where all-in costs run around $584, than in Lusaka at $908. In Kabwe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lusaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.