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 $2,181 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $476 per month in Zambia vs $3,218 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $674 per month in Zambia vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Zambia is roughly 87% lower than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Zambia sits 79% below the global median, while Australia is 64% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.96 ZMW 130

$15.97 A$22.66

-56.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.88 ZMW 427

$79.0 A$112

-71.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.72 ZMW 69.3

$9.68 A$13.74

-61.57%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 35.99

$3.58 A$5.08

-46.09%

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

$0.66 ZMW 12.37

$2.56 A$3.64

-74.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.66

$2.22 A$3.15

-83.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ZMW 16.05

$6.34 A$8.99

-86.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ZMW 26.65

$6.95 A$9.86

-79.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 23.94

$1.56 A$2.22

-17.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ZMW 14.96

$2.53 A$3.59

-68.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 ZMW 32.22

$2.00 A$2.83

-13.50%

Eggs

$1.54 ZMW 28.64

$4.26 A$6.05

-63.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 ZMW 145

$8.75 A$12.42

-10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ZMW 73.2

$8.23 A$11.68

-52.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.99 ZMW 93.1

$14.15 A$20.08

-64.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ZMW 42.70

$3.26 A$4.63

-29.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ZMW 27.60

$2.81 A$3.99

-47.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 48.62

$3.00 A$4.26

-13.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ZMW 21.40

$4.31 A$6.12

-73.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 ZMW 36.93

$2.55 A$3.62

-22.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ZMW 26.12

$2.16 A$3.07

-35.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ZMW 16.96

$2.22 A$3.15

-59.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ZMW 10.64

$1.53 A$2.17

-62.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 ZMW 41.67

$31.28 A$44.38

-92.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 ZMW 194

$14.09 A$20.00

-26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ZMW 16.10

$4.44 A$6.30

-80.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ZMW 23.70

$4.90 A$6.96

-74.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 ZMW 18.05

$2.95 A$4.19

-67.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 ZMW 739

$95.9 A$136

-58.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 ZMW 45.42

$3.49 A$4.95

-30.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ZMW 19.16

$1.84 A$2.61

-44.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.26 ZMW 173

$37.26 A$52.9

-75.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 23.20

$1.17 A$1.66

5.98%

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

$8,062 ZMW 150.3K

$28.7K A$40.8K

-71.95%

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

$28.9K ZMW 538.7K

$22.5K A$31.9K

28.58%

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

$85.8 ZMW 1,600

$173 A$246

-50.51%

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

$50.3 ZMW 938

$26.62 A$37.77

89.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$126 ZMW 2,358

$53.1 A$75.3

138.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 ZMW 792

$46.82 A$66.4

-9.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.87 ZMW 259

$16.38 A$23.25

-15.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ZMW 76.6

$13.56 A$19.24

-69.69%

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

$175 ZMW 3,270

$1,571 A$2,229

-88.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,770 ZMW 182.2K

$12.6K A$17.9K

-22.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.37 ZMW 361

$72.1 A$102

-73.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.65 ZMW 329

$51.6 A$73.2

-65.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ZMW 1,451

$101 A$144

-23.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 ZMW 1,358

$108 A$153

-32.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 ZMW 4,009

$1,398 A$1,984

-84.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 ZMW 2,401

$1,086 A$1,541

-88.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 ZMW 15.9K

$2,272 A$3,223

-62.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 ZMW 13.0K

$1,751 A$2,485

-60.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 ZMW 76.6K

$7,955 A$11.3K

-48.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,467 ZMW 139.3K

$5,978 A$8,483

24.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 ZMW 7,069

$4,053 A$5,751

-90.65%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $22.00 in Zambia vs $1,230 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $225 in Lusaka and $1,557 in Canberra.

Average salary: $347 in Zambia vs $3,808 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 5491% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 600% more in Australia.

Public transport is 1240% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 997% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

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 407% 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 407% 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.