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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $855 per month in Lusaka vs $640 in Kabwe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,450 per month in Lusaka vs $957 in Kabwe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,045 per month in Lusaka vs $1,275 in Kabwe, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 34% more than Kabwe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lusaka and Kabwe are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 36% lower, Kabwe 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ZMW 128

$7.07 ZMW 129

-0.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.68 ZMW 449

$24.81 ZMW 452

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

$3.74 ZMW 68.0

-1.07%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

$2.03 ZMW 36.87

-4.93%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

$0.71 ZMW 13.01

-5.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

$0.37 ZMW 6.65

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

$0.95 ZMW 17.25

-1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

$1.76 ZMW 31.97

4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

$1.33 ZMW 24.15

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

$0.80 ZMW 14.50

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

$1.66 ZMW 30.22

-4.82%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

$1.00 ZMW 18.13

77.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

$7.69 ZMW 140

2.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

$3.83 ZMW 69.8

-1.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

$4.54 ZMW 82.6

4.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

$2.60 ZMW 47.40

-1.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

$0.81 ZMW 14.73

93.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

$2.77 ZMW 50.5

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

$1.13 ZMW 20.56

2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

$1.89 ZMW 34.35

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

$1.36 ZMW 24.84

-2.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

$0.52 ZMW 9.49

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

$2.51 ZMW 45.63

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 ZMW 194

$10.53 ZMW 192

0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

$1.12 ZMW 20.46

-2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

$1.55 ZMW 28.27

1.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

$2.82 ZMW 51.3

-1.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

$9.42 ZMW 172

-2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

$1.23 ZMW 22.34

-3.25%

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

$7,886 ZMW 143.5K

0.06%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

$28.9K ZMW 525.7K

-1.57%

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

$91.7 ZMW 1,669

-1.07%

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

$52.3 ZMW 953

2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

$127 ZMW 2,314

-3.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

$4.09 ZMW 74.5

3.91%

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

$177 ZMW 3,223

0.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

$9,446 ZMW 171.9K

0.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

$19.30 ZMW 351

-3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

$16.73 ZMW 304

2.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

$85.4 ZMW 1,554

-1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

$73.0 ZMW 1,329

-1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kabwe: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Lusaka versus $25.00 in Kabwe. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Lusaka vs $170 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 34% 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 $1,283 per month in Lusaka and $959 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 $855 in Lusaka and $640 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.