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 $275 per month in Zambia vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $474 per month in Zambia vs $3,217 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $672 per month in Zambia vs $4,249 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

$7.02 ZMW 132

$16.24 A$22.57

-56.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 ZMW 426

$77.1 A$107

-70.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.77 ZMW 70.9

$9.81 A$13.64

-61.57%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ZMW 37.27

$3.58 A$4.97

-44.69%

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

$0.64 ZMW 12.04

$2.57 A$3.57

-75.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ZMW 6.10

$2.18 A$3.03

-85.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ZMW 16.17

$6.63 A$9.22

-87.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ZMW 27.39

$7.12 A$9.90

-79.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 ZMW 24.38

$1.50 A$2.09

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ZMW 16.00

$2.53 A$3.51

-66.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 34.34

$2.07 A$2.88

-12.08%

Eggs

$1.46 ZMW 27.43

$4.29 A$5.96

-65.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 ZMW 143

$8.65 A$12.02

-11.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ZMW 73.1

$8.34 A$11.60

-53.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.83 ZMW 90.8

$13.90 A$19.33

-65.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ZMW 44.97

$3.30 A$4.58

-27.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ZMW 29.23

$2.77 A$3.85

-44.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 ZMW 49.35

$2.95 A$4.10

-11.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 21.23

$4.19 A$5.83

-73.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 36.77

$2.42 A$3.36

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ZMW 25.71

$2.10 A$2.92

-34.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ZMW 17.80

$2.26 A$3.14

-57.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.85

$1.50 A$2.09

-65.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 ZMW 42.47

$31.58 A$43.90

-92.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 ZMW 126

$14.29 A$19.86

-53.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ZMW 17.02

$4.59 A$6.38

-80.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ZMW 23.39

$4.82 A$6.70

-74.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 19.32

$3.02 A$4.19

-65.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 ZMW 750

$98.3 A$137

-59.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 ZMW 46.75

$3.48 A$4.84

-28.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ZMW 20.16

$1.75 A$2.43

-38.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 ZMW 174

$37.97 A$52.8

-75.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ZMW 23.16

$1.21 A$1.68

1.65%

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

$8,020 ZMW 150.9K

$29.0K A$40.4K

-72.38%

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

$28.3K ZMW 533.0K

$22.6K A$31.4K

25.50%

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

$86.3 ZMW 1,625

$177 A$247

-51.33%

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

$50.9 ZMW 958

$26.85 A$37.32

89.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 ZMW 2,346

$52.4 A$72.9

137.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 ZMW 803

$47.57 A$66.1

-10.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ZMW 263

$16.46 A$22.88

-15.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 ZMW 77.8

$13.73 A$19.09

-69.92%

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

$175 ZMW 3,291

$1,593 A$2,215

-89.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,571 ZMW 180.1K

$12.7K A$17.7K

-24.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.57 ZMW 368

$72.0 A$100

-72.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.67 ZMW 333

$51.3 A$71.3

-65.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ZMW 1,461

$103 A$143

-24.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 ZMW 1,389

$108 A$151

-31.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 ZMW 4,046

$1,401 A$1,947

-84.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 ZMW 2,428

$1,080 A$1,501

-88.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ZMW 16.3K

$2,340 A$3,253

-62.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 ZMW 13.1K

$1,756 A$2,441

-60.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,988 ZMW 37.4K

$7,733 A$10.7K

-74.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,011 ZMW 94.3K

$5,563 A$7,733

-9.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$382 ZMW 7,196

$4,000 A$5,560

-90.44%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $22.00 in Zambia vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $231 in Lusaka and $1,529 in Canberra.

Average salary: $355 in Zambia vs $3,878 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 992% 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 413% 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 413% 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.