Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $876 in Lusaka versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Lusaka versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Lusaka versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 40% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lusaka is 35% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$13.18 MX$228

-46.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$53.9 MX$932

-53.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$9.42 MX$163

-61.46%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$3.55 MX$61.4

-43.38%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$1.62 MX$27.98

-54.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$1.11 MX$19.27

-69.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$3.12 MX$54.0

-69.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$4.63 MX$80.1

-60.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$1.70 MX$29.43

-25.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$2.72 MX$47.02

-72.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.91 MX$33.07

-17.28%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$2.54 MX$43.86

-30.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$10.03 MX$174

-21.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$8.09 MX$140

-52.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$11.62 MX$201

-60.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$2.97 MX$51.3

-15.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$1.81 MX$31.24

-12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$2.01 MX$34.82

33.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$2.03 MX$35.20

-42.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$2.12 MX$36.75

-11.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$2.27 MX$39.25

-39.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$1.40 MX$24.22

-37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$1.13 MX$19.55

-53.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$4.27 MX$73.9

-40.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$15.56 MX$269

-29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.76 MX$30.39

-35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$3.60 MX$62.2

-58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$0.38 MX$6.62

152.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

$19.18 MX$332

99.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$1.38 MX$23.79

102.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

$0.28 MX$4.78

310.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$5.45 MX$94.2

63.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$1.30 MX$22.55

-8.46%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

-57.36%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

22.74%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$40.86 MX$707

120.46%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$26.81 MX$464

99.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$29.96 MX$518

323.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

$52.0 MX$900

-13.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

$26.84 MX$464

-47.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$6.30 MX$109

-31.90%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$436 MX$7,544

-59.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-8.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$56.7 MX$980

-66.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$44.38 MX$768

-61.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$103 MX$1,780

-16.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$106 MX$1,825

-30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-78.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

$631 MX$10.9K

-80.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-50.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-52.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-49.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

$2,064 MX$35.7K

107.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-73.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

120.46%

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Lusaka and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 277% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Lusaka vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $288 per month, with Lusaka cheaper across the board.

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Mexico City differ by about 68% in total monthly costs ($876 vs $1,467 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 277% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $224 in Lusaka versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $876 per month in Lusaka versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 99% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $876 in Lusaka versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Lusaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.