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: $742 in Ndola versus $855 in Lusaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,740 in Ndola versus $1,450 in Lusaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,738 in Ndola versus $2,045 in Lusaka.

Living in Ndola costs roughly 13% less than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ndola 44% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ZMW 129

$7.01 ZMW 128

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 ZMW 462

$24.68 ZMW 449

2.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

-0.54%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

1.55%

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

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

-47.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

-6.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

-5.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

-1.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

4.43%

Eggs

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

-25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 142

$7.92 ZMW 144

-1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

4.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

-1.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

-52.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

-1.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

0.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

1.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

-6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

0.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 ZMW 196

$10.63 ZMW 194

1.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.17 ZMW 713

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

-33.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 172

$9.20 ZMW 167

2.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

3.36%

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

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

-0.38%

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

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

-1.44%

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

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

0.66%

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

$36.46 ZMW 664

$53.4 ZMW 972

-31.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,241

$123 ZMW 2,239

0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.44 ZMW 827

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 248

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

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

$178 ZMW 3,240

$178 ZMW 3,232

0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

0.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 338

$18.67 ZMW 340

-0.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.17 ZMW 312

$17.20 ZMW 313

-0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,295

$228 ZMW 4,157

-44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,979

$125 ZMW 2,273

-12.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ZMW 5,020

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

-73.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

$593 ZMW 10.8K

150.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ZMW 11.1K

$287 ZMW 5,215

112.26%

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 Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Ndola and $228 in Lusaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ndola pays 112% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Ndola vs $25.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $178 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 15% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $855 including rent). Ndola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 112% higher in Ndola, 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 $228 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $178 in Ndola versus $178 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 $25.00 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 15% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.