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 $751 per month in Ndola vs $619 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,768 per month in Ndola vs $999 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,784 per month in Ndola vs $1,378 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

Ndola costs about 21% more than Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ndola and Tagbilaran City are more affordable than the global median – Ndola 45% lower, Tagbilaran City 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 ZMW 110

$3.01 ₱188

91.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.73 ZMW 608

$17.53 ₱1,098

81.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ZMW 98.2

$2.80 ₱176

83.21%

Cappuccino

$2.89 ZMW 55.4

$2.57 ₱161

12.45%

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

$0.56 ZMW 10.63

$0.92 ₱57.3

-39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ZMW 4.75

$0.42 ₱26.33

-40.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ZMW 24.64

$0.82 ₱51.5

57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ZMW 45.02

$2.21 ₱138

6.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ZMW 33.29

$1.56 ₱97.8

11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 22.76

$1.01 ₱63.3

17.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 41.01

$0.89 ₱55.9

140.45%

Eggs

$1.65 ZMW 31.56

$1.80 ₱113

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 ZMW 205

$9.88 ₱619

8.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 ZMW 124

$4.56 ₱286

41.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.81 ZMW 130

$7.44 ₱466

-8.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.49

$2.82 ₱177

-43.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ZMW 48.00

$1.35 ₱84.8

85.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 ZMW 72.0

$2.31 ₱144

62.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 31.61

$1.56 ₱97.9

5.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 49.89

$2.45 ₱153

6.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 37.32

$1.90 ₱119

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 ZMW 22.22

$0.65 ₱40.52

78.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ZMW 12.54

$0.50 ₱31.02

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ZMW 59.7

$2.39 ₱150

30.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 ZMW 200

$6.23 ₱390

67.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ZMW 29.17

$0.93 ₱58.5

63.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 ZMW 46.43

$1.07 ₱66.9

126.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 ZMW 14.41

$0.50 ₱31.32

50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ZMW 49.81

$0.75 ₱47.23

246.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.85

$0.21 ₱13.14

642.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 ZMW 99.9

$4.38 ₱274

19.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ZMW 28.20

$1.08 ₱67.6

36.11%

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

$7,874 ZMW 150.8K

$21.8K ₱1.4M

-63.96%

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

$27.2K ZMW 520.4K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

38.12%

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

$84.6 ZMW 1,620

$79.3 ₱4,963

6.72%

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

$10.89 ZMW 209

$14.82 ₱928

-26.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 ZMW 1,109

$25.23 ₱1,580

129.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.18 ₱700

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.29 ₱206

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ZMW 118

$3.56 ₱223

73.31%

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

$143 ZMW 2,732

$277 ₱17.3K

-48.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 320.4K

$8,083 ₱506.1K

107.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.07 ZMW 461

$38.16 ₱2,390

-36.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.45 ZMW 315

$17.97 ₱1,126

-8.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.47 ZMW 909

$65.8 ₱4,117

-27.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 ZMW 1,453

$58.7 ₱3,679

29.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,474

$196 ₱12.3K

-7.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ZMW 3,009

$141 ₱8,808

11.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 ZMW 7,439

$481 ₱30.1K

-19.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,519 ZMW 29.1K

$341 ₱21.3K

345.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$806 ₱50.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$480 ₱30.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ZMW 11.3K

$176 ₱11.0K

235.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

302.78%

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

Last update for Ndola: September 1, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $181 in Ndola versus $196 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 236% 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 $32.00 in Ndola versus $18.00 in Tagbilaran City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $189 – making Tagbilaran City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 21%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,127 per month in Ndola and $929 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 $32.00 in Ndola and $18.00 in Tagbilaran City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Ndola, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $751 in Ndola and $619 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.