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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $885 per month in Lusaka vs $605 in Kafue, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,521 per month in Lusaka vs $953 in Kafue, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,157 per month in Lusaka vs $1,302 in Kafue, rent included.

Lusaka costs about 46% more than Kafue, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Lusaka and Kafue are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 35% lower, Kafue 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.79 ZMW 113

$5.73 ZMW 112

1.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.22 ZMW 612

$30.86 ZMW 605

1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 ZMW 104

$5.16 ZMW 101

3.10%

Cappuccino

$2.85 ZMW 55.9

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

$0.77 ZMW 15.00

$0.75 ZMW 14.63

2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.96

$0.50 ZMW 9.81

2.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ZMW 24.80

$1.28 ZMW 25.08

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ZMW 46.60

$2.30 ZMW 45.11

3.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ZMW 35.60

$1.83 ZMW 35.96

-0.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ZMW 24.85

$1.26 ZMW 24.71

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ZMW 42.10

$2.13 ZMW 41.74

0.94%

Eggs

$2.02 ZMW 39.50

$1.97 ZMW 38.63

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 ZMW 211

$10.78 ZMW 211

-0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 ZMW 126

$6.75 ZMW 132

-4.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 ZMW 136

$6.72 ZMW 132

2.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 ZMW 68.3

$3.57 ZMW 69.9

-2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 ZMW 49.96

$2.55 ZMW 50.0

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 ZMW 74.6

$3.79 ZMW 74.4

0.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 31.19

$1.56 ZMW 30.63

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 ZMW 51.9

$2.60 ZMW 51.0

1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 ZMW 37.89

$1.94 ZMW 38.05

-0.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ZMW 23.02

$1.20 ZMW 23.59

-2.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ZMW 16.05

$0.81 ZMW 15.88

1.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 ZMW 61.4

$3.19 ZMW 62.5

-1.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 ZMW 199

$10.60 ZMW 208

-4.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 ZMW 29.51

$1.52 ZMW 29.83

-0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ZMW 47.71

$2.34 ZMW 45.90

3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ZMW 20.89

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 ZMW 991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 ZMW 51.5

$2.59 ZMW 50.8

1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ZMW 30.73

$1.62 ZMW 31.67

-3.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 ZMW 99.9

$5.13 ZMW 100

-0.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 ZMW 30.39

$1.61 ZMW 31.55

-3.73%

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

$7,668 ZMW 150.3K

$7,734 ZMW 151.6K

-0.86%

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

$27.1K ZMW 531.8K

$27.2K ZMW 532.7K

-0.18%

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

$83.3 ZMW 1,632

$82.0 ZMW 1,607

1.56%

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

$10.68 ZMW 209

$10.99 ZMW 215

-2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 ZMW 1,127

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ZMW 1,117

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.72 ZMW 308

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 125

$6.38 ZMW 125

-0.16%

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

$141 ZMW 2,757

$146 ZMW 2,868

-3.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ZMW 332.3K

$16.8K ZMW 328.3K

1.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.26 ZMW 475

$23.80 ZMW 466

1.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.66 ZMW 307

$15.75 ZMW 309

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.46 ZMW 911

$46.80 ZMW 917

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ZMW 1,460

$74.4 ZMW 1,458

0.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 ZMW 7,708

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ZMW 3,633

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 ZMW 21.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ZMW 11.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,920 ZMW 37.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,078 ZMW 99.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 ZMW 6,439

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 13, 2026

Last update for Kafue: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Lusaka versus $31.00 in Kafue. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $249 – 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: $885 in Lusaka, $605 in Kafue – roughly 46% apart. Lusaka costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,328 per month in Lusaka and $907 in Kafue. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $885 in Lusaka and $605 in Kafue. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $141 per month in Lusaka and $146 in Kafue. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kafue, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Lusaka at $885. In Kafue it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lusaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.