Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lusaka and Zimba

For one person, living is cheaper in Zimba: $132 a month against $876 in Lusaka, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index

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Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$876

/mo nomad

Zimba

🇿🇲 Zambia

$132

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lusaka and in Zimba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lusaka and in Zimba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $876 in Lusaka versus $132 in Zimba.

Lusaka $876
Zimba $132

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,497 in Lusaka versus $206 in Zimba.

Lusaka $1,497
Zimba $206

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,117 in Lusaka versus $281 in Zimba.

Lusaka $2,117
Zimba $281

Living in Lusaka is roughly 563% more expensive than in Zimba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lusaka 35% lower, Zimba 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 ZMW 112

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ZMW 606

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ZMW 102

$3.00 ZMW 59.7

71.33%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ZMW 56.8

$1.48 ZMW 29.35

93.24%

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

$0.78 ZMW 15.60

$0.79 ZMW 15.67

-1.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ZMW 8.92

$0.34 ZMW 6.69

32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 25.56

$0.73 ZMW 14.45

76.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ZMW 46.24

$1.03 ZMW 20.54

125.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ZMW 33.20

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 ZMW 24.48

$0.99 ZMW 19.75

24.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 ZMW 41.62

$1.55 ZMW 30.83

34.84%

Eggs

$1.90 ZMW 37.77

$1.33 ZMW 26.48

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 ZMW 206

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ZMW 128

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 129

$3.52 ZMW 69.9

83.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 ZMW 68.5

$1.73 ZMW 34.47

99.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 ZMW 48.71

$1.50 ZMW 29.87

63.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 ZMW 72.1

$3.11 ZMW 61.8

16.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 31.35

$0.79 ZMW 15.74

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ZMW 52.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ZMW 37.39

$0.73 ZMW 14.61

157.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 22.93

$0.87 ZMW 17.33

32.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ZMW 14.96

$0.53 ZMW 10.48

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ZMW 61.1

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 ZMW 203

$6.03 ZMW 120

69.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 ZMW 28.24

$0.79 ZMW 15.64

79.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ZMW 44.47

$1.00 ZMW 19.84

124.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 20.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 ZMW 1,003

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ZMW 49.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 ZMW 30.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ZMW 102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ZMW 29.71

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

$7,550 ZMW 150.2K

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

$27.2K ZMW 540.1K

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

$79.3 ZMW 1,577

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

$10.56 ZMW 210

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 ZMW 1,093

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ZMW 1,072

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 ZMW 303

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ZMW 121

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

$141 ZMW 2,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 331.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 ZMW 467

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.47 ZMW 308

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.00 ZMW 895

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ZMW 1,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ZMW 7,794

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 ZMW 21.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ZMW 12.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,949 ZMW 38.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,934 ZMW 98.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$311 ZMW 6,182

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Lusaka: October 10, 2026

Last update for Zimba: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Lusaka

$239 27.3%

Zimba

–

Accommodation & Living

Lusaka

$181 20.6%

Zimba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lusaka

$145 16.5%

Zimba

–

Eating Out

Lusaka

$111 12.6%

Zimba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Lusaka

$70 8%

Zimba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Lusaka

$66 7.5%

Zimba

–

Getting Around

Lusaka

$65 7.4%

Zimba

–

Good to know

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zimba

🕒 Local time

08:24 8:24 AM

Same time as Lusaka

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,742,979 Capital

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Lusaka Zimba 310 km

From you

Lusaka
Zimba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zimba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lusaka and Zimba differ by about 563% in total monthly costs ($876 vs $132 including rent). Zimba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,314 in Lusaka and $198 in Zimba to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Lusaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $876 per month in Lusaka versus $132 in Zimba – a 563% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $132 in Zimba versus $876 in Lusaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zimba but tight or insufficient in Lusaka. The gap between the two cities makes Zimba 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 Zimba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 563% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.