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: $751 in Ndola versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,768 in Ndola versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,784 in Ndola versus $4,405 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 45% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 110

$17.30 €14.89

-66.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ZMW 608

$63.3 €54.4

-49.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

$11.39 €9.80

-54.96%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

$3.19 €2.75

-9.40%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

$2.45 €2.10

-77.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

$1.76 €1.52

-85.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

$3.59 €3.09

-64.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

$3.39 €2.92

-30.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

$1.24 €1.06

40.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

$1.98 €1.71

-39.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

$1.52 €1.31

40.79%

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

$4.04 €3.48

-59.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

$13.54 €11.65

-20.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

$8.39 €7.22

-22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

$18.25 €15.70

-62.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

$2.29 €1.97

-30.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

$1.74 €1.50

44.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

$1.86 €1.60

102.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

$2.63 €2.26

-37.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

$1.92 €1.65

35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

$2.09 €1.80

-6.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

$1.44 €1.24

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

$0.84 €0.72

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

$6.78 €5.83

-53.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ZMW 200

$5.71 €4.91

83.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

$1.38 €1.18

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

$2.22 €1.91

9.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

$2.40 €2.06

-68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

$4.17 €3.59

-37.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

$1.14 €0.98

36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

$17.68 €15.21

-70.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

$2.32 €2.00

-36.64%

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

$35.3K €30.4K

-77.72%

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

$41.4K €35.7K

-34.43%

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

$170 €147

-50.34%

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

$19.34 €16.64

-43.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

$33.64 €28.95

72.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

$9.92 €8.54

-37.80%

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

$717 €617

-80.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

$17.5K €15.0K

-4.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

$105 €90.2

-77.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

$46.95 €40.40

-64.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

$103 €89.0

-54.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

$124 €107

-38.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

$1,677 €1,443

-89.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

$1,271 €1,094

-87.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

$2,985 €2,568

-86.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

$1,992 €1,715

-23.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

$1,583 €1,362

-62.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

665.17%

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

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Ndola and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 168% 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 Ndola vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $283 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 208% in total monthly costs ($751 vs $2,316 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 168% 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: $181 in Ndola versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $751 per month in Ndola versus $2,316 in Lisbon – a 208% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $751 in Ndola versus $2,316 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 208% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.