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: $907 in Lusaka versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Lusaka versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lusaka versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 28% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 34% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$4.56 ฿150

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$32.62 ฿1,073

-2.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$8.90 ฿293

-40.34%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$2.80 ฿92.2

6.43%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$0.88 ฿28.94

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$0.49 ฿16.08

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$2.39 ฿78.5

-43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$3.71 ฿122

-36.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.79 ฿58.8

3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$1.44 ฿47.40

-13.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$1.58 ฿52.1

38.61%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$2.13 ฿69.9

-3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$19.92 ฿655

-46.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$3.43 ฿113

90.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$11.33 ฿372

-40.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$2.95 ฿97.0

20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$1.72 ฿56.6

45.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$2.32 ฿76.5

60.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$2.08 ฿68.4

-23.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$1.47 ฿48.34

86.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$1.36 ฿44.65

44.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$1.10 ฿36.13

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$0.57 ฿18.89

45.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$4.27 ฿140

-24.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$18.42 ฿606

-42.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$1.87 ฿61.5

-20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$2.92 ฿96.1

-15.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$2.22 ฿73.0

-54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$22.90 ฿753

127.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$3.03 ฿99.6

-11.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$1.07 ฿35.32

45.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$3.93 ฿129

33.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$1.49 ฿49.06

6.04%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

-71.28%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

0.91%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$103 ฿3,380

-18.63%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$10.99 ฿361

0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$17.51 ฿576

223.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$53.5 ฿1,760

5.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$11.20 ฿368

42.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$7.48 ฿246

-14.84%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$557 ฿18.3K

-73.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

40.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$64.1 ฿2,107

-61.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$29.07 ฿956

-44.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$96.0 ฿3,155

-50.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$90.3 ฿2,970

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$730 ฿24.0K

-46.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$500 ฿16.4K

-63.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-46.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-50.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-47.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

110.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$503 ฿16.6K

-33.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

420.65%

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Lusaka and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 50% 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 $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $273 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 38% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $1,253 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 50% lower in Phuket. 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 $730 in Phuket. 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 $1,253 in Phuket – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 127% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $907 in Lusaka versus $1,253 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 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.