Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Zambia Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Zambia

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in South Africa vs $275 in Zambia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,594 per month in South Africa vs $475 in Zambia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in South Africa vs $674 in Zambia, rent included.

South Africa costs about 271% more than Zambia on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Zambia are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 24% lower, Zambia 79% lower.

Zambia has a wider regional cost range ($0–$876) than South Africa ($804–$1,352), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Zambia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.20 R 152

$7.12 ZMW 135

29.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.46 R 633

$22.79 ZMW 434

68.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 R 84.2

$3.64 ZMW 69.3

40.38%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R 33.38

$1.91 ZMW 36.42

6.28%

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

$0.95 R 15.60

$0.63 ZMW 11.97

50.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 13.06

$0.33 ZMW 6.24

139.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R 37.97

$0.91 ZMW 17.39

153.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 R 40.48

$1.44 ZMW 27.49

70.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R 17.77

$1.28 ZMW 24.34

-15.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 15.85

$0.81 ZMW 15.36

18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 R 26.41

$1.83 ZMW 34.76

-12.57%

Eggs

$2.32 R 38.28

$1.52 ZMW 28.86

52.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 R 123

$7.79 ZMW 148

-3.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 R 75.2

$3.92 ZMW 74.7

16.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$5.00 ZMW 95.2

31.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.06

$2.30 ZMW 43.73

-31.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 R 23.90

$1.49 ZMW 28.42

-2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.78

$2.49 ZMW 47.44

-39.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.45

$1.18 ZMW 22.39

31.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 20.83

$1.97 ZMW 37.47

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R 21.23

$1.36 ZMW 25.87

-5.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 R 17.64

$0.89 ZMW 16.92

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.87

$0.54 ZMW 10.25

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 R 48.11

$2.29 ZMW 43.60

27.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.99 R 82.2

$6.82 ZMW 130

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.87

$0.87 ZMW 16.50

59.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.62

$1.29 ZMW 24.51

30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.32

$1.03 ZMW 19.57

66.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.17 R 744

$39.42 ZMW 750

14.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R 18.27

$2.53 ZMW 48.22

-56.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 R 17.48

$1.07 ZMW 20.33

-0.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.84 R 79.8

$9.33 ZMW 178

-48.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.47

$1.24 ZMW 23.63

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

$21.0K R 346.4K

$7,994 ZMW 152.1K

163.12%

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

$24.1K R 396.6K

$28.2K ZMW 536.8K

-14.63%

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

$112 R 1,846

$84.1 ZMW 1,601

33.21%

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

$31.87 R 525

$49.93 ZMW 950

-36.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.80 R 672

$127 ZMW 2,419

-67.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.46 R 518

$42.02 ZMW 800

-25.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.71 R 160

$13.89 ZMW 264

-30.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 110

$4.30 ZMW 81.9

55.35%

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

$192 R 3,159

$178 ZMW 3,395

7.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,306 R 70.9K

$9,752 ZMW 185.6K

-55.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.12 R 809

$19.95 ZMW 380

146.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.89 R 509

$17.74 ZMW 338

74.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 R 1,535

$80.3 ZMW 1,529

16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 R 1,295

$72.4 ZMW 1,378

8.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 R 7,426

$210 ZMW 4,000

114.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 R 6,033

$130 ZMW 2,479

181.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 R 14.6K

$868 ZMW 16.5K

2.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 R 11.7K

$698 ZMW 13.3K

1.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 R 18.9K

$2,013 ZMW 38.3K

-42.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$807 R 13.3K

$5,018 ZMW 95.5K

-83.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,467 R 24.2K

$385 ZMW 7,333

280.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

-53.80%

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

Last update for South Africa: April 20, 2026

Last update for Zambia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $22 in Zambia. For reference, capital cities sit at $762 in Cape Town and $224 in Lusaka.

Average salary: $1,458 in South Africa vs $357 in Zambia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1573% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 218% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 220% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 308% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa stronger purchasing power.

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

South Africa vs Zambia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zambia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 146% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zambia, contributing to the overall 146% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zambia, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Zambia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.