Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Ndola versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,740 in Ndola versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,738 in Ndola versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Ndola costs roughly 68% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ndola is 44% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ZMW 129

$16.19 €14.18

-56.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 ZMW 462

$63.3 €55.5

-59.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

$10.32 €9.04

-64.34%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

$2.83 €2.48

-30.74%

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

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

$2.29 €2.01

-84.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

$1.58 €1.38

-88.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

$3.40 €2.98

-74.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

$4.03 €3.53

-56.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

$1.09 €0.96

19.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

$1.75 €1.53

-54.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

$1.76 €1.54

-6.25%

Eggs

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

$3.17 €2.77

-58.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 142

$13.19 €11.56

-40.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

$7.97 €6.98

-50.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

$15.53 €13.60

-69.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

$2.37 €2.07

-48.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

$1.71 €1.49

-6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

$2.01 €1.76

32.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

$2.43 €2.13

-51.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

$1.76 €1.54

3.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

$2.03 €1.78

-34.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

$1.92 €1.68

-55.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

$0.85 €0.74

-38.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

$6.58 €5.76

-61.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 ZMW 196

$5.58 €4.89

93.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

$1.33 €1.17

-18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

$2.97 €2.60

-46.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

$2.28 €1.99

-75.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

$4.23 €3.70

-56.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 172

$18.44 €16.15

-48.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

$2.08 €1.82

-40.87%

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

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

$34.7K €30.4K

-77.33%

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

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

$39.2K €34.3K

-28.45%

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

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

$148 €130

-38.32%

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

$36.46 ZMW 664

$20.46 €17.92

78.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,241

$39.56 €34.64

211.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

$9.22 €8.08

-53.90%

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

$178 ZMW 3,240

$616 €540

-71.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

$16.4K €14.4K

-42.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 338

$103 €90.0

-81.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.17 ZMW 312

$41.74 €36.55

-58.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

$94.8 €83.0

-10.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

$122 €107

-39.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,295

$1,633 €1,430

-92.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,979

$1,232 €1,079

-91.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ZMW 5,020

$3,098 €2,713

-91.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

$2,031 €1,779

-26.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ZMW 11.1K

$1,607 €1,408

-62.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

556.17%

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

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Ndola and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 164% 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 Ndola vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $267 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

Ndola vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ndola and Lisbon differ by about 209% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $2,291 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 164% lower in Lisbon. 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: $126 in Ndola versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $742 per month in Ndola versus $2,291 in Lisbon – a 209% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $742 in Ndola versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ndola but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Ndola 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, Ndola and Lisbon 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 Ndola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 209% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.