Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Kafue Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Kafue

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $876 per month in Lusaka vs $707 in Kafue, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,489 per month in Lusaka vs $1,064 in Kafue, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,103 per month in Lusaka vs $1,422 in Kafue, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 24% more than Kafue, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Lusaka and Kafue are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 35% lower, Kafue 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$7.41 ZMW 132

-4.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$24.85 ZMW 444

0.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$1.93 ZMW 34.47

4.15%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$0.67 ZMW 11.93

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.37 ZMW 6.55

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$0.93 ZMW 16.61

3.23%

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 23.80

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$0.80 ZMW 14.33

-7.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.63 ZMW 29.16

-3.07%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$1.77 ZMW 31.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$7.91 ZMW 141

-0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$3.78 ZMW 67.5

1.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$4.71 ZMW 84.2

-2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$2.52 ZMW 45.03

-0.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$1.59 ZMW 28.36

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$2.69 ZMW 48.03

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$1.15 ZMW 20.60

1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$1.86 ZMW 33.26

0.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$1.37 ZMW 24.51

0.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$0.93 ZMW 16.64

-6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$0.52 ZMW 9.31

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$2.51 ZMW 44.77

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$10.80 ZMW 193

1.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.12 ZMW 20.05

0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$1.49 ZMW 26.67

0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$1.63 ZMW 29.10

-41.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

$46.31 ZMW 827

-17.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$2.79 ZMW 49.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$9.39 ZMW 168

-5.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$1.20 ZMW 21.41

-0.83%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$8,039 ZMW 143.5K

-0.89%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$28.9K ZMW 515.8K

-1.74%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$91.7 ZMW 1,637

-1.76%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$53.2 ZMW 950

0.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$124 ZMW 2,219

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$4.15 ZMW 74.1

3.37%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$177 ZMW 3,154

0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$9,422 ZMW 168.2K

1.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$18.62 ZMW 332

3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$16.80 ZMW 300

2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$84.1 ZMW 1,501

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$74.3 ZMW 1,326

-0.75%

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 Kafue: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Lusaka versus $25.00 in Kafue. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $179 – making Lusaka 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 Kafue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $876 in Lusaka, $707 in Kafue – roughly 24% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,313 per month in Lusaka and $1,060 in Kafue. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $177 per month in Lusaka and $177 in Kafue. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Lusaka – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $876 in Lusaka and $707 in Kafue, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kafue – 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 Kafue. 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.