Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Kitwe

For one person, living is cheaper in Kitwe: $186 a month against $860 in Lusaka, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index

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Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$860

/mo nomad

Kitwe

🇿🇲 Zambia

$186

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lusaka and in Kitwe

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lusaka and in Kitwe actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $860 per month in Lusaka vs $186 in Kitwe, rent included.

Lusaka $860
Kitwe $186

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Lusaka vs $1,228 in Kitwe, rent included.

Lusaka $1,472
Kitwe $1,228

A family of three spends $2,084 per month in Lusaka vs $2,270 in Kitwe, rent included.

Lusaka $2,084
Kitwe $2,270

Lusaka costs about 363% more than Kitwe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lusaka and Kitwe are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 36% lower, Kitwe 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 ZMW 111

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 ZMW 610

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ZMW 97.9

Cappuccino

$2.91 ZMW 59.0

$2.56 ZMW 51.9

13.67%

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

$0.72 ZMW 14.48

$0.58 ZMW 11.71

24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ZMW 9.06

$0.76 ZMW 15.42

-40.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ZMW 24.68

$2.02 ZMW 40.98

-39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 ZMW 44.21

$2.46 ZMW 49.76

-11.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ZMW 34.76

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 24.17

$1.02 ZMW 20.58

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 ZMW 40.42

Eggs

$1.94 ZMW 39.35

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 ZMW 207

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 ZMW 123

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 ZMW 126

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ZMW 65.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ZMW 49.53

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 ZMW 66.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ZMW 30.13

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 52.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 ZMW 37.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ZMW 22.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ZMW 15.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ZMW 59.3

$2.48 ZMW 50.3

18.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 ZMW 199

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 ZMW 27.75

$1.13 ZMW 22.83

21.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ZMW 44.73

$0.98 ZMW 19.93

125.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 19.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.4 ZMW 1,222

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 ZMW 49.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 ZMW 30.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.90 ZMW 99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 29.72

$1.42 ZMW 28.72

3.52%

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

$7,434 ZMW 150.5K

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

$25.3K ZMW 512.4K

$30.4K ZMW 615.0K

-16.68%

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

$70.3 ZMW 1,424

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

$10.39 ZMW 210

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.2 ZMW 1,097

$102 ZMW 2,056

-46.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 ZMW 1,071

$15.11 ZMW 306

250.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.77 ZMW 299

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 ZMW 118

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

$148 ZMW 3,006

$609 ZMW 12.3K

-75.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K ZMW 413.0K

$11.9K ZMW 241.7K

70.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.88 ZMW 504

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.32 ZMW 351

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.96 ZMW 910

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 ZMW 1,344

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,862

$1,205 ZMW 24.4K

-67.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ZMW 3,577

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 ZMW 21.7K

$2,451 ZMW 49.6K

-56.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ZMW 11.9K

$2,010 ZMW 40.7K

-70.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,929 ZMW 39.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,657 ZMW 175.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$364 ZMW 7,363

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-19.44%

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

Last update for Lusaka: November 1, 2026

Last update for Kitwe: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Lusaka

$232 27%

Kitwe

–

Accommodation & Living

Lusaka

$177 20.5%

Kitwe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lusaka

$135 15.7%

Kitwe

–

Eating Out

Lusaka

$108 12.6%

Kitwe

–

Getting Around

Lusaka

$74 8.6%

Kitwe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lusaka

$69 8%

Kitwe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lusaka

$65 7.5%

Kitwe

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Lusaka versus $1,205 in Kitwe. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🇿🇲 Kitwe

🕒 Local time

20:28 8:28 PM

Same time as Lusaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,742,979 Capital

522,092

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 4.94 USD

100 ZMW = 4.41 EUR

100 ZMW = 4.94 USD

100 ZMW = 4.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Lusaka Kitwe 290 km

From you

Lusaka
Kitwe

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kitwe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $860 in Lusaka, $186 in Kitwe – Kitwe comes out roughly 78% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,290 per month in Lusaka and $278 in Kitwe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lusaka, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $388 there versus $1,205 in Kitwe.

Kindergarten costs $148 per month in Lusaka and $609 in Kitwe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $860 in Lusaka and $186 in Kitwe. That makes Kitwe about 78% cheaper.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $860 in Lusaka and $186 in Kitwe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Lusaka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $186 in Kitwe to $860 in Lusaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.