Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and Canada Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and Canada

Name: Canada
Address: CA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $277 per month in Zambia vs $2,319 in Canada, rent included.

A couple spends around $476 per month in Zambia vs $3,378 in Canada, rent included.

A family of three spends $674 per month in Zambia vs $4,437 in Canada, rent included.

The cost of living in Zambia is roughly 88% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Zambia sits 79% below the global median, while Canada is 74% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 ZMW 131

$18.63 CA$26.11

-61.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 ZMW 422

$74.0 CA$104

-68.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.75 ZMW 68.3

$10.92 CA$15.31

-65.66%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 36.54

$3.76 CA$5.28

-46.54%

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

$0.63 ZMW 11.40

$2.19 CA$3.07

-71.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ZMW 5.95

$1.74 CA$2.43

-81.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ZMW 15.73

$5.93 CA$8.31

-85.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ZMW 27.50

$5.95 CA$8.35

-74.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.51

$2.28 CA$3.20

-45.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ZMW 15.43

$2.67 CA$3.74

-68.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ZMW 32.02

$3.78 CA$5.30

-53.44%

Eggs

$1.54 ZMW 28.04

$3.50 CA$4.90

-56.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ZMW 137

$11.70 CA$16.40

-35.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 ZMW 73.4

$12.30 CA$17.24

-67.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.82 ZMW 87.7

$15.44 CA$21.65

-68.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ZMW 43.74

$4.28 CA$6.00

-43.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ZMW 27.33

$1.45 CA$2.04

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 ZMW 45.83

$4.01 CA$5.62

-37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ZMW 20.76

$4.27 CA$5.98

-73.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 ZMW 35.51

$2.69 CA$3.77

-27.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ZMW 25.99

$2.65 CA$3.71

-46.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ZMW 16.13

$2.64 CA$3.70

-66.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZMW 9.57

$1.89 CA$2.65

-71.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 ZMW 40.28

$14.77 CA$20.71

-85.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 ZMW 189

$13.32 CA$18.67

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ZMW 16.75

$2.96 CA$4.15

-68.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ZMW 23.21

$3.28 CA$4.59

-60.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ZMW 17.19

$2.62 CA$3.67

-64.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.06 ZMW 729

$78.1 CA$110

-48.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ZMW 45.46

$3.42 CA$4.79

-26.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ZMW 19.38

$1.50 CA$2.10

-29.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.37 ZMW 170

$29.07 CA$40.76

-67.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ZMW 22.54

$1.20 CA$1.68

3.33%

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

$8,143 ZMW 148.2K

$25.5K CA$35.7K

-68.03%

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

$28.4K ZMW 517.3K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

38.24%

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

$87.1 ZMW 1,585

$152 CA$212

-42.54%

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

$51.7 ZMW 941

$46.70 CA$65.5

10.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,305

$61.8 CA$86.7

104.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.95 ZMW 763

$43.36 CA$60.8

-3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 ZMW 253

$18.05 CA$25.31

-23.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 ZMW 76.6

$11.51 CA$16.13

-63.42%

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

$174 ZMW 3,172

$806 CA$1,130

-78.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,683 ZMW 176.2K

$12.1K CA$17.0K

-20.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.05 ZMW 365

$55.4 CA$77.6

-63.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.84 ZMW 325

$41.80 CA$58.6

-57.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ZMW 1,434

$89.7 CA$126

-12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 ZMW 1,304

$106 CA$149

-32.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 ZMW 3,792

$1,329 CA$1,864

-84.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 ZMW 2,308

$1,207 CA$1,692

-89.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 ZMW 15.7K

$2,112 CA$2,961

-59.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 ZMW 13.0K

$1,833 CA$2,570

-61.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,948 ZMW 90.0K

$4,639 CA$6,503

6.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,502 ZMW 172.9K

$3,849 CA$5,396

146.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$323 ZMW 5,884

$2,948 CA$4,133

-89.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

294.94%

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

Last update for Zambia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $22.00 in Zambia vs $1,281 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $228 in Lusaka and $1,481 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $338 in Zambia vs $2,904 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 5723% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 518% more in Canada.

Public transport is 1200% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 759% higher in Canada.

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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zambia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 423% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zambia, contributing to the overall 423% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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