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: $855 in Lusaka versus $742 in Ndola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,450 in Lusaka versus $1,740 in Ndola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,045 in Lusaka versus $2,738 in Ndola.

Living in Lusaka is roughly 15% more expensive than in Ndola, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 36% lower, Ndola 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ZMW 128

$7.08 ZMW 129

-0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.68 ZMW 449

$25.36 ZMW 462

-2.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

0.54%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

-1.53%

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

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

5.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

-4.24%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

34.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 ZMW 144

$7.82 ZMW 142

1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

-4.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

108.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

1.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

-0.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

-1.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

0.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

6.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

-0.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.63 ZMW 194

$10.79 ZMW 196

-1.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

-0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

50.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.20 ZMW 167

$9.45 ZMW 172

-2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

-3.25%

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

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

0.38%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

1.46%

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

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

-0.66%

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

$53.4 ZMW 972

$36.46 ZMW 664

46.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,239

$123 ZMW 2,241

-0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

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

$178 ZMW 3,232

$178 ZMW 3,240

-0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

-0.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZMW 340

$18.59 ZMW 338

0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.20 ZMW 313

$17.17 ZMW 312

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

-0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

-1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 ZMW 4,157

$126 ZMW 2,295

81.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$125 ZMW 2,273

$109 ZMW 1,979

14.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

$276 ZMW 5,020

272.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$593 ZMW 10.8K

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

-60.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$287 ZMW 5,215

$608 ZMW 11.1K

-52.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $228 in Lusaka and $126 in Ndola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ndola pays 112% 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 $25.00 in Ndola. Groceries flip the comparison at $178 vs $170, 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 15% in total monthly costs ($855 vs $742 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 112% 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: $228 in Lusaka versus $126 in Ndola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $178 in Lusaka versus $178 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 $25.00 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 15% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.