Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Ndola Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Ndola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in Lusaka versus $751 in Ndola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Lusaka versus $1,768 in Ndola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lusaka versus $2,784 in Ndola.

Living in Lusaka is roughly 21% more expensive than in Ndola, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 34% lower, Ndola 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$5.75 ZMW 110

-0.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 611

$31.73 ZMW 608

0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 102

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

3.51%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.2

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

3.11%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.77

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

46.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.04

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

88.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 26.02

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

5.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.80

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

-0.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.62

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.85

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

5.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.85

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

2.34%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.27

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

24.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 206

$10.73 ZMW 205

0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$6.47 ZMW 124

1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$6.81 ZMW 130

-0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 68.1

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

123.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.78

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

-0.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.2

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

-1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.42

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.4

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

4.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.73

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.97

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

-0.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.81

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

25.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.6

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 202

$10.45 ZMW 200

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.26

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

-2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.39

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.61

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 997

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.2

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.86

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 100

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

0.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.21

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

7.48%

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

$7,791 ZMW 149.2K

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

-1.05%

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

$27.7K ZMW 530.5K

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

1.94%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,602

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

-1.11%

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

$11.07 ZMW 212

$10.89 ZMW 209

1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,086

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

-2.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,079

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 306

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$6.17 ZMW 118

3.24%

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

$147 ZMW 2,810

$143 ZMW 2,732

2.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 318.1K

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

-0.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 474

$24.07 ZMW 461

2.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$16.45 ZMW 315

-2.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 916

$47.47 ZMW 909

0.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,476

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,443

$181 ZMW 3,474

114.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,501

$157 ZMW 3,009

16.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.4K

$388 ZMW 7,439

187.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

-60.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 101.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,431

$591 ZMW 11.3K

-43.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Lusaka and $181 in Ndola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ndola pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lusaka vs $32.00 in Ndola. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $233, with Ndola cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ndola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Ndola differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $751 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Ndola. 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 $181 in Ndola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $147 in Lusaka versus $143 in Ndola. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ndola – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $32.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Ndola versus $907 in Lusaka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ndola but tight or insufficient in Lusaka. The gap between the two cities makes Ndola 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 Ndola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.