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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $855 per month in Lusaka vs $706 in Kafue, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,450 per month in Lusaka vs $1,061 in Kafue, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,045 per month in Lusaka vs $1,416 in Kafue, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 21% more than Kafue, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Lusaka and Kafue are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 36% lower, Kafue 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ZMW 128

$7.09 ZMW 129

-1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.68 ZMW 449

$24.67 ZMW 449

0.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

$3.76 ZMW 68.5

-1.60%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

$1.96 ZMW 35.60

-1.53%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

$0.73 ZMW 13.28

-8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

$0.36 ZMW 6.61

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

$0.93 ZMW 16.98

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

$1.80 ZMW 32.81

2.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

$1.27 ZMW 23.19

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

$0.79 ZMW 14.42

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

$1.66 ZMW 30.17

-4.82%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

$1.86 ZMW 33.81

-4.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

$7.67 ZMW 140

3.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

$3.81 ZMW 69.4

-0.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

$4.57 ZMW 83.2

3.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

$2.52 ZMW 45.84

1.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

$1.59 ZMW 28.90

-1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

$2.80 ZMW 50.9

-3.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

$1.16 ZMW 21.19

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

$1.89 ZMW 34.38

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

$1.38 ZMW 25.10

-3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$0.88 ZMW 16.02

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

$0.52 ZMW 9.40

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

$2.42 ZMW 43.98

4.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 ZMW 194

$10.59 ZMW 193

0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

$1.12 ZMW 20.42

-2.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

$1.56 ZMW 28.47

0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

$1.62 ZMW 29.49

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

$46.69 ZMW 850

-16.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

$2.69 ZMW 48.88

3.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

$8.99 ZMW 164

2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

$1.24 ZMW 22.65

-4.03%

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

$8,043 ZMW 146.4K

-1.89%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

$28.7K ZMW 521.9K

-0.86%

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

$91.1 ZMW 1,658

-0.44%

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

$52.7 ZMW 959

1.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

$125 ZMW 2,280

-1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

$4.06 ZMW 74.0

4.68%

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

$177 ZMW 3,219

0.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

$9,516 ZMW 173.2K

-0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

$19.07 ZMW 347

-2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

$17.28 ZMW 314

-0.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

$84.9 ZMW 1,544

-0.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

$73.7 ZMW 1,342

-2.06%

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 Kafue: July 12, 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: $178 vs $178 – 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: $855 in Lusaka, $706 in Kafue – roughly 21% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,283 per month in Lusaka and $1,059 in Kafue. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $178 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.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Lusaka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $855 in Lusaka and $706 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.