Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Tagbilaran City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ndola and Tagbilaran City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $742 per month in Ndola vs $716 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,740 per month in Ndola vs $1,183 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,738 per month in Ndola vs $1,649 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

Ndola costs about 4% more than Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ndola and Tagbilaran City are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 44% lower, Tagbilaran City 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.08 ZMW 129

$4.52 ₱278

56.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.36 ZMW 462

$21.67 ₱1,334

17.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.68 ZMW 67.0

$3.34 ₱206

10.18%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ZMW 35.69

$2.62 ₱161

-25.19%

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

$0.35 ZMW 6.34

$0.79 ₱48.73

-55.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ZMW 3.25

$0.42 ₱26.02

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ZMW 15.98

$1.18 ₱72.5

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ZMW 31.67

$2.16 ₱133

-19.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 23.62

$1.78 ₱109

-26.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.39

$1.09 ₱66.8

-27.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.99

$0.94 ₱58.0

75.53%

Eggs

$1.32 ZMW 24.09

$1.92 ₱118

-31.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 142

$10.52 ₱648

-25.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 71.9

$4.65 ₱287

-15.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 ZMW 85.0

$7.60 ₱468

-38.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 22.38

$3.58 ₱221

-65.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ZMW 29.19

$1.32 ₱81.0

21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 ZMW 48.58

$3.27 ₱201

-18.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 21.31

$1.90 ₱117

-38.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 33.14

$2.31 ₱142

-21.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 24.10

$2.43 ₱149

-45.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 ZMW 15.57

$1.01 ₱61.9

-14.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.46

$0.69 ₱42.60

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ZMW 46.49

$2.78 ₱171

-8.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 ZMW 196

$6.34 ₱390

70.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 ZMW 19.93

$1.00 ₱61.7

9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ZMW 28.83

$1.12 ₱68.9

41.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ZMW 10.19

$0.28 ₱17.42

100.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ZMW 33.69

$0.89 ₱54.8

107.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 172

$2.70 ₱166

250.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 22.37

$1.15 ₱71.0

6.96%

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

$7,861 ZMW 143.1K

$28.2K ₱1.7M

-72.13%

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

$28.0K ZMW 510.0K

$22.0K ₱1.4M

27.62%

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

$91.3 ZMW 1,662

$78.4 ₱4,827

16.47%

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

$36.46 ZMW 664

$26.08 ₱1,606

39.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,241

$29.46 ₱1,814

317.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.18 ₱2,104

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.33 ₱267

Cinema Ticket

$4.25 ZMW 77.3

$3.95 ₱243

7.59%

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

$178 ZMW 3,240

$228 ₱14.0K

-21.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,526 ZMW 173.4K

$3,830 ₱235.8K

148.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.59 ZMW 338

$45.82 ₱2,821

-59.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.17 ZMW 312

$20.25 ₱1,247

-15.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ZMW 1,543

$73.7 ₱4,540

14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,333

$55.1 ₱3,390

33.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,295

$214 ₱13.1K

-40.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,979

$152 ₱9,360

-28.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ZMW 5,020

$538 ₱33.1K

-48.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,485 ZMW 27.0K

$386 ₱23.8K

284.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$796 ₱49.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 ₱29.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ZMW 11.1K

$178 ₱10.9K

241.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

212.50%

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

Last update for Ndola: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola versus $214 in Tagbilaran City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 242% higher in Ndola, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ndola versus $22.00 in Tagbilaran City. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Ndola vs $210 in Tagbilaran City – so Ndola 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 Tagbilaran City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ndola is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,113 per month in Ndola and $1,075 in Tagbilaran City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tagbilaran City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ndola and $22.00 in Tagbilaran City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Ndola – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $742 in Ndola and $716 in Tagbilaran City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tagbilaran City. 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.