Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Livingstone

For one person, living is cheaper in Livingstone: $206 a month against $876 in Lusaka, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 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

$876

/mo nomad

Livingstone

🇿🇲 Zambia

$206

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lusaka and in Livingstone

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 Livingstone actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $876 per month in Lusaka vs $206 in Livingstone, rent included.

Lusaka $876
Livingstone $206

A couple spends around $1,497 per month in Lusaka vs $378 in Livingstone, rent included.

Lusaka $1,497
Livingstone $378

A family of three spends $2,117 per month in Lusaka vs $550 in Livingstone, rent included.

Lusaka $2,117
Livingstone $550

Lusaka costs about 325% more than Livingstone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lusaka and Livingstone are more affordable than the global median – Lusaka 35% lower, Livingstone 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 ZMW 112

$7.84 ZMW 156

-28.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ZMW 606

$30.40 ZMW 605

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ZMW 102

$8.95 ZMW 178

-42.57%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZMW 56.8

$5.16 ZMW 103

-44.57%

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

$0.78 ZMW 15.60

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ZMW 8.92

$0.34 ZMW 6.74

32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 25.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ZMW 46.24

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ZMW 33.20

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ZMW 24.48

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 ZMW 41.62

Eggs

$1.90 ZMW 37.77

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 ZMW 206

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ZMW 128

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 129

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 ZMW 68.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ZMW 48.71

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 ZMW 72.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 31.35

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ZMW 52.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ZMW 37.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 22.93

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ZMW 14.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ZMW 61.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 ZMW 203

$20.39 ZMW 406

-49.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ZMW 28.24

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ZMW 44.47

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 20.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 ZMW 1,003

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ZMW 49.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 ZMW 30.29

$2.53 ZMW 50.3

-39.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ZMW 102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ZMW 29.71

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

$7,550 ZMW 150.2K

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

$27.2K ZMW 540.1K

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

$79.3 ZMW 1,577

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

$10.56 ZMW 210

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 ZMW 1,093

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ZMW 1,072

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 ZMW 303

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ZMW 121

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

$141 ZMW 2,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 331.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 ZMW 467

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.47 ZMW 308

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.00 ZMW 895

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ZMW 1,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ZMW 7,794

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 ZMW 21.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ZMW 12.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,949 ZMW 38.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,934 ZMW 98.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$311 ZMW 6,182

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Livingstone: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Lusaka

$239 27.3%

Livingstone

–

Accommodation & Living

Lusaka

$181 20.6%

Livingstone

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lusaka

$145 16.5%

Livingstone

–

Eating Out

Lusaka

$111 12.6%

Livingstone

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lusaka

$70 8%

Livingstone

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lusaka

$66 7.5%

Livingstone

–

Getting Around

Lusaka

$65 7.4%

Livingstone

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Lusaka versus $30.00 in Livingstone. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Lusaka vs $41.00 in Livingstone – so Livingstone wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🇿🇲 Livingstone

🕒 Local time

08:35 8:35 AM

Same time as Lusaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,742,979 Capital

136,897

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Lusaka Livingstone 370 km

From you

Lusaka
Livingstone

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 Livingstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $876 in Lusaka, $206 in Livingstone – roughly 325% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,314 per month in Lusaka and $309 in Livingstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Lusaka and $30.00 in Livingstone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $876 in Lusaka and $206 in Livingstone. That's a gap of about 325%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingstone, where all-in costs run around $206, than in Lusaka at $876. In Livingstone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lusaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Livingstone – 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 Livingstone. 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.