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: $907 in Lusaka versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Lusaka versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lusaka versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 45% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lusaka is 34% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$12.11 MX$205

-52.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$52.2 MX$883

-38.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$10.90 MX$184

-51.28%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$4.05 MX$68.5

-26.42%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$1.72 MX$29.00

-52.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$1.38 MX$23.29

-65.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$3.47 MX$58.6

-60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$5.81 MX$98.2

-59.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.85 MX$31.33

0.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$3.22 MX$54.5

-61.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$2.09 MX$35.25

4.78%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$2.91 MX$49.18

-29.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$12.49 MX$211

-13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$10.11 MX$171

-35.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$15.89 MX$269

-57.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$3.31 MX$56.0

7.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$2.13 MX$35.95

17.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$2.19 MX$37.03

69.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$2.45 MX$41.37

-35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$2.19 MX$37.00

25.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$1.90 MX$32.20

3.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$1.62 MX$27.31

-29.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$1.35 MX$22.82

-38.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$5.43 MX$91.7

-40.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$17.59 MX$297

-40.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$2.07 MX$34.96

-28.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$4.75 MX$80.2

-48.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$0.34 MX$5.75

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$21.58 MX$365

141.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$2.04 MX$34.49

30.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$0.58 MX$9.77

168.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$5.97 MX$101

-12.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$1.62 MX$27.31

-2.47%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

-65.85%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

3.90%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$65.2 MX$1,103

28.22%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$29.87 MX$505

-62.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$36.55 MX$618

55.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$61.0 MX$1,031

-7.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$26.70 MX$451

-40.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$6.85 MX$116

-7.01%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$453 MX$7,664

-67.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

24.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$75.0 MX$1,267

-66.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$55.3 MX$935

-71.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$114 MX$1,920

-57.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$123 MX$2,073

-37.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-65.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$712 MX$12.0K

-74.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-56.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-54.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-52.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$2,095 MX$35.4K

152.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-67.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

156.64%

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Lusaka and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 212% 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: $32.00 in Lusaka vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $345 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 82% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $1,646 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 212% lower in Mexico City. 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: $389 in Lusaka versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $907 per month in Lusaka versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 141% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $907 in Lusaka versus $1,646 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 82% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.