Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $876 in Lusaka versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Lusaka versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Lusaka versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 31% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 35% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$4.70 ฿153

51.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$45.37 ฿1,482

-44.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$8.43 ฿275

-56.94%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$2.93 ฿95.6

-31.40%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$0.69 ฿22.40

5.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.37 ฿11.99

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$2.41 ฿78.6

-60.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$3.72 ฿122

-51.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$2.23 ฿72.9

-43.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$1.83 ฿59.8

-59.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$2.17 ฿70.8

-27.19%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$2.21 ฿72.3

-19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$19.74 ฿645

-60.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$3.63 ฿119

5.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$13.53 ฿442

-66.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$3.28 ฿107

-23.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$1.61 ฿52.6

-1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$2.41 ฿78.6

11.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$2.08 ฿68.1

-43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$1.53 ฿49.93

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$1.48 ฿48.36

-6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$0.99 ฿32.29

-12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$0.51 ฿16.67

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$4.41 ฿144

-42.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$19.38 ฿633

-43.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$1.78 ฿58.1

-36.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$2.71 ฿88.6

-44.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$1.37 ฿44.79

-29.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

$11.39 ฿372

235.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$3.02 ฿98.6

-7.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

$0.99 ฿32.48

16.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$14.10 ฿461

-36.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$1.36 ฿44.51

-12.50%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-71.75%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-13.71%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$122 ฿3,975

-25.98%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$13.57 ฿443

294.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$18.31 ฿598

592.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

$60.2 ฿1,967

-25.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

$17.14 ฿560

-18.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$8.69 ฿284

-50.63%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$693 ฿22.6K

-74.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-39.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$59.5 ฿1,944

-67.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$34.77 ฿1,136

-50.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$115 ฿3,743

-24.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$83.3 ฿2,720

-11.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

$613 ฿20.0K

-63.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

$437 ฿14.3K

-72.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-49.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-61.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-47.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

63.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

$508 ฿16.6K

-41.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

369.04%

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Lusaka and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 72% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $293 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Phuket differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($876 vs $1,265 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 72% 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 $613 in Phuket. 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 $1,265 in Phuket – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 236% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $876 in Lusaka versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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.

Safety-wise, Lusaka and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.