Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $277 per month in Zambia vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $473 per month in Zambia vs $3,219 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $669 per month in Zambia vs $4,253 in Australia, rent included.

Zambia is roughly 87% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Zambia sits 79% below the global median, while Australia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 ZMW 123

$16.44 A$23.23

-57.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 ZMW 398

$78.1 A$110

-70.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.58 ZMW 62.6

$9.94 A$14.05

-63.98%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ZMW 33.63

$3.60 A$5.08

-46.67%

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

$0.63 ZMW 10.97

$2.68 A$3.78

-76.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ZMW 5.69

$2.14 A$3.02

-84.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 16.44

$6.53 A$9.23

-85.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ZMW 25.05

$7.05 A$9.96

-79.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 21.65

$1.58 A$2.23

-21.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ZMW 15.21

$2.53 A$3.57

-65.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 31.50

$2.07 A$2.93

-13.04%

Eggs

$1.52 ZMW 26.57

$4.30 A$6.08

-64.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 ZMW 139

$9.03 A$12.76

-12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZMW 67.9

$8.55 A$12.08

-54.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.80 ZMW 83.9

$13.96 A$19.72

-65.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 ZMW 42.18

$3.18 A$4.49

-24.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ZMW 26.85

$2.84 A$4.01

-45.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 ZMW 45.99

$2.95 A$4.17

-10.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 19.80

$4.43 A$6.26

-74.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 ZMW 34.80

$2.46 A$3.47

-19.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ZMW 23.60

$2.17 A$3.07

-37.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ZMW 16.63

$2.29 A$3.24

-58.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZMW 9.21

$1.57 A$2.22

-66.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 ZMW 40.17

$30.87 A$43.61

-92.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ZMW 191

$14.06 A$19.86

-22.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ZMW 16.06

$4.55 A$6.43

-79.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ZMW 22.66

$4.81 A$6.80

-72.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 ZMW 17.51

$2.87 A$4.05

-65.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.46 ZMW 707

$95.8 A$135

-57.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 ZMW 44.09

$3.65 A$5.15

-30.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ZMW 17.86

$1.76 A$2.49

-42.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.99 ZMW 157

$38.27 A$54.1

-76.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 20.81

$1.15 A$1.63

3.48%

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

$8,057 ZMW 140.8K

$28.4K A$40.1K

-71.60%

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

$28.7K ZMW 501.3K

$23.0K A$32.5K

24.68%

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

$83.9 ZMW 1,467

$178 A$251

-52.84%

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

$51.2 ZMW 894

$26.46 A$37.38

93.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,228

$54.1 A$76.4

135.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.48 ZMW 725

$46.64 A$65.9

-11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ZMW 242

$16.54 A$23.37

-16.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ZMW 71.8

$13.65 A$19.28

-69.89%

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

$179 ZMW 3,127

$1,575 A$2,225

-88.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,699 ZMW 169.5K

$12.7K A$17.9K

-23.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.38 ZMW 339

$71.5 A$101

-72.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.23 ZMW 301

$50.8 A$71.8

-66.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 ZMW 1,386

$100 A$142

-20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 ZMW 1,287

$108 A$153

-31.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 ZMW 3,644

$1,384 A$1,955

-84.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 ZMW 2,275

$1,105 A$1,562

-88.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 ZMW 15.2K

$2,298 A$3,246

-62.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ZMW 12.1K

$1,728 A$2,441

-59.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,987 ZMW 34.7K

$7,610 A$10.8K

-73.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,987 ZMW 104.7K

$5,504 A$7,776

8.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 ZMW 6,105

$4,002 A$5,654

-91.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

293.70%

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

Last update for Zambia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $22.00 in Zambia vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $226 in Lusaka and $1,568 in Canberra.

Average salary: $342 in Zambia vs $3,845 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 5500% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 600% more in Australia.

Public transport is 1240% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 1024% higher in Australia, giving Australia 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

Zambia vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zambia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 402% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zambia, contributing to the overall 402% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zambia, but in Australia 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.