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: $722 in Ndola versus $2,210 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Ndola versus $3,311 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,678 in Ndola versus $4,411 in Lisbon.

Living in Ndola costs roughly 67% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ndola is 46% below, Lisbon is 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$15.91 €13.69

-55.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$64.8 €55.7

-62.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$10.51 €9.04

-65.18%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$2.87 €2.47

-32.40%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$2.24 €1.93

-83.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$1.50 €1.29

-88.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$3.49 €3.00

-73.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$3.88 €3.34

-52.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$1.14 €0.98

8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$1.75 €1.51

-54.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$1.76 €1.51

-10.80%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$3.22 €2.77

-60.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$13.49 €11.61

-44.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$7.91 €6.81

-50.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$15.87 €13.65

-70.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$2.31 €1.99

-46.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$1.70 €1.46

-2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$2.01 €1.73

38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$2.46 €2.12

-52.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$1.84 €1.59

-2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$2.00 €1.72

-34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$1.93 €1.66

-52.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$0.79 €0.68

-35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$6.61 €5.68

-62.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$5.72 €4.92

89.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$1.37 €1.17

-16.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$2.97 €2.56

-47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$2.37 €2.04

-76.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$4.29 €3.69

-57.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$18.30 €15.74

-48.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$2.06 €1.78

-42.23%

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$34.3K €29.5K

-76.31%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$39.3K €33.8K

-28.66%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$148 €127

-37.93%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$20.52 €17.65

77.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$39.61 €34.08

211.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$9.18 €7.90

-55.77%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$614 €528

-71.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$16.0K €13.8K

-39.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$105 €90.0

-81.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$42.06 €36.18

-59.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$94.0 €80.8

-9.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$120 €103

-38.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$1,628 €1,400

-92.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$1,255 €1,080

-91.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$3,030 €2,607

-91.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$2,020 €1,738

-26.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$1,603 €1,379

-61.94%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Ndola and $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 163% 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: $24.00 in Ndola vs $65.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $269 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 206% in total monthly costs ($722 vs $2,210 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 163% 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: $126 in Ndola versus $1,628 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $722 per month in Ndola versus $2,210 in Lisbon – a 206% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $722 in Ndola versus $2,210 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 206% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.