Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Livingstone Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Livingstone

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $742 per month in Ndola vs $175 in Livingstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,740 per month in Ndola vs $319 in Livingstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in Ndola vs $462 in Livingstone, rent included.

Ndola costs about 324% more than Livingstone, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Livingstone are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 44% lower, Livingstone 87% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ZMW 129

$6.20 ZMW 113

14.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 ZMW 462

$25.23 ZMW 459

0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

$7.36 ZMW 134

-50.00%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

$4.05 ZMW 73.7

-51.60%

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

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

$0.30 ZMW 5.53

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

Eggs

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 142

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 ZMW 196

$22.63 ZMW 412

-52.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 ZMW 31.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 172

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

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

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

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

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

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

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

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

$36.46 ZMW 664

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,241

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

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

$178 ZMW 3,240

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 338

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.17 ZMW 312

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,295

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,979

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ZMW 5,020

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ZMW 11.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Last update for Livingstone: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ndola versus $25.00 in Livingstone. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Ndola vs $45.00 in Livingstone – so Livingstone wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Livingstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $742 in Ndola, $175 in Livingstone – roughly 324% apart. Ndola costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Ndola and $262 in Livingstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ndola and $25.00 in Livingstone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $742 in Ndola and $175 in Livingstone. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $742 in Ndola and $175 in Livingstone, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Livingstone – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Livingstone. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ndola makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.