Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Zambia and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $278 per month in Zambia vs $1,020 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $476 per month in Zambia vs $1,598 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $673 per month in Zambia vs $2,175 in South Africa, rent included.

Zambia is roughly 73% cheaper than South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Zambia and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Zambia 79% lower, South Africa 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 ZMW 124

$9.05 R 150

-22.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 ZMW 411

$39.48 R 652

-40.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.0

$4.94 R 81.6

-26.52%

Cappuccino

$1.99 ZMW 35.05

$2.06 R 34.04

-3.40%

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

$0.67 ZMW 11.81

$0.95 R 15.66

-29.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ZMW 6.24

$0.81 R 13.36

-56.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ZMW 15.31

$2.21 R 36.52

-60.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ZMW 26.66

$2.48 R 41.02

-39.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ZMW 22.65

$1.11 R 18.38

16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ZMW 14.96

$1.02 R 16.92

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ZMW 32.14

$1.56 R 25.71

16.67%

Eggs

$1.54 ZMW 27.17

$2.34 R 38.70

-34.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 ZMW 138

$7.73 R 128

1.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 ZMW 69.6

$4.49 R 74.3

-12.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 ZMW 88.3

$6.73 R 111

-25.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ZMW 41.19

$1.56 R 25.83

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ZMW 27.57

$1.43 R 23.62

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 ZMW 46.04

$1.44 R 23.88

81.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ZMW 20.21

$1.51 R 24.96

-23.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 ZMW 35.17

$1.22 R 20.15

63.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ZMW 23.86

$1.28 R 21.09

5.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ZMW 16.99

$1.04 R 17.18

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZMW 9.41

$0.94 R 15.47

-43.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 ZMW 38.98

$2.99 R 49.38

-26.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 185

$5.16 R 85.3

103.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ZMW 14.94

$1.39 R 22.94

-38.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ZMW 22.58

$1.66 R 27.39

-22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ZMW 16.59

$1.63 R 26.93

-42.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.82 ZMW 702

$45.05 R 745

-11.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ZMW 44.02

$1.13 R 18.72

121.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ZMW 18.91

$1.10 R 18.23

-2.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ZMW 159

$4.86 R 80.3

86.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ZMW 21.50

$1.24 R 20.49

-1.61%

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

$7,973 ZMW 140.5K

$20.3K R 335.8K

-60.76%

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

$28.6K ZMW 503.4K

$23.5K R 387.9K

21.73%

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

$83.9 ZMW 1,479

$113 R 1,875

-26.00%

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

$51.5 ZMW 907

$32.36 R 535

59.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 ZMW 2,204

$41.45 R 685

201.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.97 ZMW 739

$31.59 R 522

32.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 ZMW 239

$9.61 R 159

41.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 ZMW 75.3

$6.83 R 113

-37.48%

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

$176 ZMW 3,100

$187 R 3,091

-5.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,775 ZMW 172.2K

$4,362 R 72.1K

124.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.61 ZMW 346

$49.50 R 818

-60.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.42 ZMW 307

$30.42 R 503

-42.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 ZMW 1,385

$91.7 R 1,515

-14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ZMW 1,253

$78.9 R 1,303

-9.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 ZMW 3,695

$442 R 7,298

-52.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$129 ZMW 2,264

$367 R 6,064

-64.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ZMW 15.5K

$884 R 14.6K

-0.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 ZMW 12.6K

$723 R 12.0K

-0.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 ZMW 34.5K

$1,090 R 18.0K

79.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,654 ZMW 99.6K

$780 R 12.9K

625.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 ZMW 6,271

$1,558 R 25.7K

-77.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

116.45%

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

Last update for Zambia: May 31, 2026

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $22.00 in Zambia vs $368 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $224 in Lusaka and $765 in Cape Town.

Average salary: $342 in Zambia vs $1,520 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1573% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 218% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 220% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 344% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa 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 South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zambia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 146% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zambia, contributing to the overall 146% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zambia, but in South Africa 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.