Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Lusaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Lusaka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $722 in Ndola versus $876 in Lusaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,700 in Ndola versus $1,489 in Lusaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,678 in Ndola versus $2,103 in Lusaka.

Living in Ndola costs roughly 18% less than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ndola 46% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$7.11 ZMW 127

-0.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$24.96 ZMW 446

-2.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

0.83%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

-3.48%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

-47.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

-2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

1.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

-1.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

-0.63%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

-28.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$7.86 ZMW 140

-3.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

3.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

-50.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

-3.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

5.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

-1.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$10.95 ZMW 195

-0.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

4.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

-42.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

-34.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$8.92 ZMW 159

5.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

1.92%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

-1.26%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

1.90%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$53.6 ZMW 956

-32.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$127 ZMW 2,263

-2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

-5.36%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$177 ZMW 3,161

-2.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

1.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$19.25 ZMW 344

-1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$17.27 ZMW 308

-0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

-1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

-0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$224 ZMW 4,007

-43.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$120 ZMW 2,148

-9.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

-74.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$585 ZMW 10.4K

153.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$296 ZMW 5,286

106.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Ndola: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Ndola and $224 in Lusaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ndola pays 106% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Ndola vs $25.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $177 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 Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ndola and Lusaka differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($722 vs $876 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ndola pays 106% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $126 in Ndola versus $224 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $173 in Ndola versus $177 in Lusaka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ndola – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $25.00 in Lusaka. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ndola gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Ndola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.