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 $722 per month in Ndola vs $729 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Ndola vs $1,178 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,678 per month in Ndola vs $1,628 in Tagbilaran City, rent included.

Ndola is about 1% cheaper than Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ZMW 127

$4.37 ₱270

62.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 ZMW 437

$21.37 ₱1,318

14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.66 ZMW 65.3

$3.31 ₱204

10.57%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ZMW 34.61

$2.52 ₱155

-23.02%

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

$0.38 ZMW 6.70

$0.85 ₱52.4

-55.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ZMW 3.09

$0.43 ₱26.33

-60.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.76

$1.17 ₱72.4

-19.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ZMW 32.88

$2.09 ₱129

-11.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.15

$1.72 ₱106

-27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 14.08

$1.09 ₱67.5

-27.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ZMW 28.09

$0.88 ₱54.2

78.41%

Eggs

$1.26 ZMW 22.58

$2.02 ₱124

-37.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ZMW 135

$10.49 ₱647

-28.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 70.5

$4.47 ₱276

-11.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.69 ZMW 83.8

$7.64 ₱471

-38.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ZMW 21.87

$3.56 ₱220

-65.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ZMW 29.45

$1.29 ₱79.8

27.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 ZMW 49.57

$3.25 ₱201

-14.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.94

$1.83 ₱113

-36.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 32.20

$2.21 ₱136

-18.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ZMW 23.49

$2.41 ₱148

-45.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ZMW 16.36

$0.99 ₱60.9

-7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ZMW 9.12

$0.67 ₱41.55

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ZMW 44.66

$2.67 ₱165

-6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.85 ZMW 194

$6.25 ₱385

73.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ZMW 20.36

$0.93 ₱57.6

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ZMW 27.88

$1.17 ₱71.9

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ZMW 9.90

$0.28 ₱17.42

96.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ZMW 32.63

$0.89 ₱54.8

105.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 ZMW 168

$2.62 ₱162

260.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.31

$1.14 ₱70.5

4.39%

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

$8,120 ZMW 144.9K

$27.8K ₱1.7M

-70.76%

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

$28.0K ZMW 500.4K

$21.8K ₱1.3M

28.62%

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

$91.8 ZMW 1,638

$76.1 ₱4,692

20.62%

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

$36.35 ZMW 649

$26.65 ₱1,643

36.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,206

$29.62 ₱1,827

317.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.71 ₱2,079

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.45 ₱274

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 ZMW 72.5

$4.10 ₱253

-0.98%

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

$173 ZMW 3,095

$227 ₱14.0K

-23.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,711 ZMW 173.3K

$3,822 ₱235.7K

154.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.00 ZMW 339

$45.56 ₱2,809

-58.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.14 ZMW 306

$20.23 ₱1,247

-15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ZMW 1,510

$71.4 ₱4,400

18.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 ZMW 1,307

$55.4 ₱3,417

32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,253

$213 ₱13.2K

-40.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$109 ZMW 1,953

$155 ₱9,555

-29.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ZMW 4,753

$535 ₱33.0K

-50.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 ZMW 26.4K

$381 ₱23.5K

288.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,438 ₱150.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$985 ₱60.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ZMW 10.9K

$179 ₱11.0K

241.20%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $126 in Ndola versus $213 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 241% higher in Ndola, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ndola versus $21.00 in Tagbilaran City. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Ndola vs $207 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 – Tagbilaran City is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,083 per month in Ndola and $1,093 in Tagbilaran City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ndola, 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 $24.00 in Ndola and $21.00 in Tagbilaran City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Tagbilaran City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $722 in Ndola and $729 in Tagbilaran City, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ndola – 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 Ndola. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tagbilaran City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.