Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimba and Lusaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Zimba: $132 a month against $876 in Lusaka, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index

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Zimba

🇿🇲 Zambia

$132

/mo nomad

Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zimba and in Lusaka

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 Lusaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $132 in Zimba versus $876 in Lusaka.

Zimba $132
Lusaka $876

Estimated couple costs with rent: $206 in Zimba versus $1,497 in Lusaka.

Zimba $206
Lusaka $1,497

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $281 in Zimba versus $2,117 in Lusaka.

Zimba $281
Lusaka $2,117

Living in Zimba costs roughly 85% less than in Lusaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zimba 90% lower, Lusaka 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 ZMW 112

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.45 ZMW 606

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.00 ZMW 59.7

$5.14 ZMW 102

-41.63%

Cappuccino

$1.48 ZMW 29.35

$2.86 ZMW 56.8

-48.25%

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

$0.79 ZMW 15.67

$0.78 ZMW 15.60

1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.69

$0.45 ZMW 8.92

-24.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 ZMW 14.45

$1.29 ZMW 25.56

-43.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 ZMW 20.54

$2.32 ZMW 46.24

-55.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ZMW 33.20

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ZMW 19.75

$1.23 ZMW 24.48

-19.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ZMW 30.83

$2.09 ZMW 41.62

-25.84%

Eggs

$1.33 ZMW 26.48

$1.90 ZMW 37.77

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 ZMW 206

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 ZMW 128

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.52 ZMW 69.9

$6.47 ZMW 129

-45.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 ZMW 34.47

$3.45 ZMW 68.5

-49.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ZMW 29.87

$2.45 ZMW 48.71

-38.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 ZMW 61.8

$3.62 ZMW 72.1

-14.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 ZMW 15.74

$1.58 ZMW 31.35

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 ZMW 52.0

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ZMW 14.61

$1.88 ZMW 37.39

-61.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 17.33

$1.15 ZMW 22.93

-24.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZMW 10.48

$0.75 ZMW 14.96

-29.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ZMW 61.1

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 ZMW 120

$10.23 ZMW 203

-41.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ZMW 15.64

$1.42 ZMW 28.24

-44.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ZMW 19.84

$2.24 ZMW 44.47

-55.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 20.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.4 ZMW 1,003

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ZMW 49.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 ZMW 30.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 ZMW 102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ZMW 29.71

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

$7,550 ZMW 150.2K

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

$27.2K ZMW 540.1K

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

$79.3 ZMW 1,577

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

$10.56 ZMW 210

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 ZMW 1,093

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 ZMW 1,072

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.21 ZMW 303

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 ZMW 121

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

$141 ZMW 2,802

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ZMW 331.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.49 ZMW 467

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.47 ZMW 308

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.00 ZMW 895

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ZMW 1,429

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ZMW 7,794

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ZMW 3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 ZMW 21.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 ZMW 12.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,949 ZMW 38.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,934 ZMW 98.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$311 ZMW 6,182

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 12, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Zimba

–

Lusaka

$239 27.3%

Accommodation & Living

Zimba

–

Lusaka

$181 20.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zimba

–

Lusaka

$145 16.5%

Eating Out

Zimba

–

Lusaka

$111 12.6%

Clothing & Footwear

Zimba

–

Lusaka

$70 8%

Sport & Entertainment

Zimba

–

Lusaka

$66 7.5%

Getting Around

Zimba

–

Lusaka

$65 7.4%

Good to know

🇿🇲 Zimba

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🕒 Local time

10:49 10:49 AM

Same time as Zimba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,742,979 Capital

💱 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 Lusaka 310 km

From you

Zimba
Lusaka

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 Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zimba and Lusaka differ by about 563% in total monthly costs ($132 vs $876 including rent). Zimba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $198 in Zimba and $1,314 in Lusaka 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 Lusaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $132 per month in Zimba versus $876 in Lusaka – a 563% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $132 in Zimba versus $876 in Lusaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zimba but tight or insufficient in Lusaka. The gap between the two cities makes Zimba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 563% less than in Lusaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.