Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Zambia: $888 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Zambia
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Zambia Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

🇿🇲 Zambia

$888

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,647

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Zambia is 23.6% cheaper than Budapest without rent, and 46.1% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Zambia is 30% cheaper than Budapest without rent, and 35% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 ZMW 134

$13.63 Ft 4,407

-51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.20 ZMW 592

$60.7 Ft 19.6K

-51.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ZMW 99.7

$10.02 Ft 3,239

-50.90%

Cappuccino

$3.25 ZMW 65.8

$3.33 Ft 1,075

-2.40%

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

$0.77 ZMW 15.57

$2.12 Ft 684

-63.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ZMW 9.77

$1.80 Ft 581

-73.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ZMW 25.69

$3.61 Ft 1,166

-64.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ZMW 50.4

$3.59 Ft 1,160

-30.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ZMW 36.40

$1.12 Ft 361

60.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ZMW 24.06

$1.93 Ft 623

-38.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 ZMW 47.63

$2.49 Ft 804

-5.62%

Eggs

$1.78 ZMW 36.13

$3.94 Ft 1,275

-54.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 ZMW 204

$11.28 Ft 3,646

-10.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 ZMW 127

$6.73 Ft 2,177

-6.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 ZMW 124

$14.44 Ft 4,670

-57.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ZMW 68.5

$1.86 Ft 601

81.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 ZMW 43.36

$2.04 Ft 658

4.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 ZMW 67.1

$2.29 Ft 740

44.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ZMW 30.78

$3.99 Ft 1,290

-61.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 ZMW 53.3

$0.94 Ft 304

179.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 ZMW 38.97

$1.02 Ft 330

88.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ZMW 23.75

$1.65 Ft 534

-29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ZMW 15.04

$0.68 Ft 221

8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ZMW 60.3

$7.81 Ft 2,526

-61.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 ZMW 203

$6.02 Ft 1,946

66.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ZMW 26.25

$1.29 Ft 418

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ZMW 40.88

$2.02 Ft 655

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 19.44

$1.50 Ft 484

-36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 ZMW 1,116

$27.13 Ft 8,769

102.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 ZMW 50.3

$3.36 Ft 1,085

-26.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 ZMW 32.24

$1.37 Ft 444

16.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.85 ZMW 179

$19.96 Ft 6,451

-55.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ZMW 27.39

$1.86 Ft 603

-27.42%

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

$6,270 ZMW 127.1K

$28.5K Ft 9.2M

-78.01%

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

$41.6K ZMW 843.0K

$33.4K Ft 10.8M

24.58%

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

$77.5 ZMW 1,572

$178 Ft 57.6K

-56.48%

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

$11.24 ZMW 228

$23.58 Ft 7,623

-52.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 ZMW 1,169

$24.12 Ft 7,797

139.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.69 ZMW 987

$69.7 Ft 22.5K

-30.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.83 ZMW 321

$17.03 Ft 5,505

-7.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ZMW 134

$10.48 Ft 3,388

-36.74%

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

$147 ZMW 2,971

$625 Ft 202.1K

-76.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K ZMW 404.5K

$19.6K Ft 6.4M

1.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.13 ZMW 509

$102 Ft 33.0K

-75.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.67 ZMW 277

$43.41 Ft 14.0K

-68.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.6 ZMW 1,167

$110 Ft 35.5K

-47.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.5 ZMW 1,572

$121 Ft 39.0K

-35.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$456 ZMW 9,253

$845 Ft 273.3K

-46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 ZMW 3,563

$638 Ft 206.4K

-72.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,061 ZMW 21.5K

$1,609 Ft 520.1K

-34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 ZMW 14.7K

$1,217 Ft 393.5K

-40.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,803 ZMW 77.1K

$5,555 Ft 1.8M

-31.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,966 ZMW 80.4K

$3,898 Ft 1.3M

1.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 ZMW 9,347

$1,724 Ft 557.5K

-73.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

26.25

6.34

314.04%

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

Last update for Zambia: October 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Zambia

$233 26.2%

Budapest

$260 15.8% 11.7% $27

Accommodation & Living

Zambia

$176 19.8%

Budapest

$638 38.8% 263% $463

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zambia

$146 16.5%

Budapest

$226 13.7% 54.2% $79

Eating Out

Zambia

$123 13.9%

Budapest

$220 13.4% 78.7% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Zambia

$78 8.8%

Budapest

$169 10.3% 116% $91

Getting Around

Zambia

$69 7.8%

Budapest

$43 2.6% 37.5% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Zambia

$62 7%

Budapest

$91 5.5% 46.3% $29

Good to know

🇿🇲 Zambia

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

03:04 3:04 AM

02:04 2:04 AM

1 h behind Zambia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,610,769

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 4.93 USD

100 ZMW = 4.39 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇲 Zambian Kwacha (ZK)

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 20.27 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.93 USD). 1 EUR = 22.75 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.39 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR).

USD to ZMW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Zambia Budapest 7,060 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Zambia
Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and Budapest

HUF, USD, EUR to ZMW – Zambian Kwacha Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

Zambia

Budapest

Zambia

Budapest

Zambia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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