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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Ndola vs $208 in Livingstone, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Ndola vs $391 in Livingstone, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,784 per month in Ndola vs $573 in Livingstone, rent included.

Ndola costs about 261% more than Livingstone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ndola and Livingstone are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 45% lower, Livingstone 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 110

$7.79 ZMW 149

-26.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ZMW 608

$31.81 ZMW 609

-0.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

$9.16 ZMW 175

-44.00%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

$5.40 ZMW 103

-46.48%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

$0.35 ZMW 6.76

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ZMW 200

$20.89 ZMW 400

-49.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

$2.65 ZMW 50.8

-41.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Last update for Livingstone: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ndola versus $32.00 in Livingstone. Groceries tell a different story – $233 in Ndola vs $42.00 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: $751 in Ndola, $208 in Livingstone – roughly 261% apart. Ndola costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,127 per month in Ndola and $312 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 $32.00 in Ndola and $32.00 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 $751 in Ndola and $208 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 $751 in Ndola and $208 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.