Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimba and Chilanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Zimba: $131 a month against $585 in Chilanga, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Chilanga
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Chilanga Living Index

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Zimba

🇿🇲 Zambia

$131

/mo nomad

Chilanga

🇿🇲 Zambia

$585

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zimba and in Chilanga

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zimba and in Chilanga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $131 in Zimba versus $585 in Chilanga.

Zimba $131
Chilanga $585

Estimated couple costs with rent: $204 in Zimba versus $928 in Chilanga.

Zimba $204
Chilanga $928

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $278 in Zimba versus $1,271 in Chilanga.

Zimba $278
Chilanga $1,271

Living in Zimba costs roughly 78% less than in Chilanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zimba 90% lower, Chilanga 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.65 ZMW 112

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.59 ZMW 589

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.93 ZMW 58.3

$5.12 ZMW 102

-42.77%

Cappuccino

$1.46 ZMW 29.04

$2.76 ZMW 54.9

-47.10%

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

$0.73 ZMW 14.61

$0.74 ZMW 14.64

-1.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.75

$0.48 ZMW 9.57

-29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.77 ZMW 15.31

$1.23 ZMW 24.49

-37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZMW 20.40

$2.31 ZMW 46.00

-55.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 ZMW 33.83

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ZMW 20.19

$1.17 ZMW 23.22

-12.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 ZMW 30.15

$2.10 ZMW 41.80

-27.62%

Eggs

$1.27 ZMW 25.18

$1.92 ZMW 38.10

-33.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.24 ZMW 204

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ZMW 126

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.56 ZMW 70.8

$6.65 ZMW 132

-46.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ZMW 35.54

$3.44 ZMW 68.5

-47.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ZMW 30.19

$2.37 ZMW 47.19

-35.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 ZMW 58.7

$3.56 ZMW 70.8

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 ZMW 14.43

$1.51 ZMW 29.94

-51.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 ZMW 49.46

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ZMW 14.34

$1.79 ZMW 35.65

-59.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 ZMW 17.67

$1.11 ZMW 21.99

-19.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 10.32

$0.79 ZMW 15.67

-34.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ZMW 58.7

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 ZMW 117

$9.91 ZMW 197

-40.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ZMW 15.56

$1.42 ZMW 28.20

-45.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 ZMW 19.32

$2.33 ZMW 46.41

-58.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 ZMW 50.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 ZMW 29.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 ZMW 96.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ZMW 29.40

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

$7,420 ZMW 147.6K

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

$27.4K ZMW 544.4K

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

$80.1 ZMW 1,592

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

$10.46 ZMW 208

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 ZMW 1,110

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 ZMW 120

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

$139 ZMW 2,768

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 331.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.71 ZMW 472

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.19 ZMW 302

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.76 ZMW 910

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 ZMW 1,415

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Zimba: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chilanga: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Zimba

–

Chilanga

$237 40.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zimba

–

Chilanga

$146 25%

Eating Out

Zimba

–

Chilanga

$109 18.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Zimba

–

Chilanga

$70 12%

Sport & Entertainment

Zimba

–

Chilanga

$12 * 2.1%

Getting Around

Zimba

–

Chilanga

$9.9 * 1.7%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇿🇲 Zimba

🇿🇲 Chilanga

🕒 Local time

12:49 12:49 PM

Same time as Zimba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

107,051

💱 Currency

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Zimba Chilanga 300 km

From you

Zimba
Chilanga

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

Zimba vs Chilanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zimba and Chilanga differ by about 347% in total monthly costs ($131 vs $585 including rent). Zimba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $196 in Zimba and $877 in Chilanga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 151% higher in Chilanga. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $131 per month in Zimba versus $585 in Chilanga – a 347% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Zimba gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Zimba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 347% less than in Chilanga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.