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: $876 in Lusaka versus $722 in Ndola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Lusaka versus $1,700 in Ndola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Lusaka versus $2,678 in Ndola.

Living in Lusaka is roughly 21% more expensive than Ndola, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 35% lower, Ndola 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$7.10 ZMW 127

0.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$24.46 ZMW 437

2.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

3.61%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

92.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

-1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

-6.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

0.64%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

40.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$7.55 ZMW 135

4.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

-3.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

-2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

103.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

-4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

-3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

3.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

-5.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

1.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$10.85 ZMW 194

0.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

-3.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

74.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

52.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$9.44 ZMW 168

-5.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

-1.88%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

1.28%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

-1.86%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$36.35 ZMW 649

47.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$124 ZMW 2,206

2.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

5.67%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$173 ZMW 3,095

2.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$19.00 ZMW 339

1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$17.14 ZMW 306

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

$126 ZMW 2,253

77.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

$109 ZMW 1,953

9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

$266 ZMW 4,753

295.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

-60.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

$610 ZMW 10.9K

-51.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ndola: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Lusaka and $126 in Ndola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ndola pays 106% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Lusaka vs $24.00 in Ndola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $170 per month, with Ndola 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 Ndola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Ndola differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($876 vs $722 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ndola earns 106% 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 $126 in Ndola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $177 in Lusaka versus $173 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 $24.00 versus $25.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ndola gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.