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 $1,019 per month in South Africa vs $277 in Zambia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,585 per month in South Africa vs $474 in Zambia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,151 per month in South Africa vs $671 in Zambia, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 268% higher than in 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.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.98 R 151

$7.24 ZMW 134

24.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.92 R 655

$23.42 ZMW 434

66.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 R 85.6

$3.65 ZMW 67.7

39.45%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 33.19

$1.98 ZMW 36.65

-0.51%

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

$0.96 R 16.07

$0.63 ZMW 11.71

52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 13.37

$0.33 ZMW 6.12

139.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R 38.15

$0.86 ZMW 15.94

163.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R 41.49

$1.45 ZMW 26.85

70.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.77

$1.29 ZMW 23.94

-13.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 R 16.16

$0.85 ZMW 15.82

12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.35

$1.76 ZMW 32.68

-10.80%

Eggs

$2.36 R 39.66

$1.52 ZMW 28.24

55.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 R 126

$7.53 ZMW 140

-0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 R 78.4

$3.94 ZMW 73.1

18.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.68 R 112

$4.86 ZMW 90.1

37.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.48

$2.38 ZMW 44.07

-34.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 23.75

$1.51 ZMW 27.96

-6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R 24.66

$2.54 ZMW 47.00

-42.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R 25.08

$1.17 ZMW 21.74

27.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R 21.20

$1.96 ZMW 36.42

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 R 22.53

$1.38 ZMW 25.51

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R 17.36

$0.97 ZMW 18.07

6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R 15.51

$0.54 ZMW 9.93

70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 R 48.75

$2.29 ZMW 42.49

26.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.14 R 86.5

$10.44 ZMW 194

-50.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 23.34

$0.91 ZMW 16.89

52.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 28.16

$1.29 ZMW 23.96

29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 R 28.49

$1.04 ZMW 19.20

62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 R 765

$39.72 ZMW 736

14.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R 19.26

$2.55 ZMW 47.30

-55.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 R 17.97

$1.03 ZMW 19.03

3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 R 82.1

$9.35 ZMW 173

-47.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 21.67

$1.19 ZMW 22.01

8.40%

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

$21.1K R 354.3K

$7,987 ZMW 148.1K

163.68%

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

$24.0K R 403.6K

$28.2K ZMW 523.1K

-14.97%

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

$111 R 1,868

$85.3 ZMW 1,581

30.19%

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

$33.07 R 556

$51.7 ZMW 958

-36.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.55 R 699

$125 ZMW 2,323

-66.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.98 R 521

$41.13 ZMW 763

-24.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.32 R 157

$13.74 ZMW 255

-32.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 R 111

$4.06 ZMW 75.4

62.07%

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

$192 R 3,237

$177 ZMW 3,280

8.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,342 R 73.0K

$9,644 ZMW 178.8K

-54.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.43 R 815

$19.64 ZMW 364

146.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.28 R 526

$17.85 ZMW 331

75.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 R 1,598

$77.6 ZMW 1,439

22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 R 1,340

$71.4 ZMW 1,324

11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 R 7,413

$209 ZMW 3,868

111.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 R 6,104

$129 ZMW 2,390

181.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 R 15.1K

$866 ZMW 16.1K

3.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 R 12.0K

$704 ZMW 13.1K

1.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 R 18.7K

$4,063 ZMW 75.3K

-72.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$788 R 13.3K

$7,568 ZMW 140.3K

-89.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,483 R 25.0K

$384 ZMW 7,128

285.84%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Zambia: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $369 in South Africa vs $22.00 in Zambia. For reference, capital cities sit at $410 in Pretoria and $228 in Lusaka.

Average salary: $1,522 in South Africa vs $350 in Zambia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1577% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 218% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 220% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 335% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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 147% 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 147% 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.