Cost of Living in Zambia - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $634 (excluding rent), and $851 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,356 (excluding rent), and $2,157 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 ZMW 138

$3.90 ZMW 74.2

$11.63 ZMW 221

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 ZMW 430

$20.01 ZMW 380

$31.75 ZMW 604

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.61 ZMW 68.7

$3.53 ZMW 67.0

$3.82 ZMW 72.6

Cappuccino

$1.91 ZMW 36.39

$0.94 ZMW 17.92

$3.39 ZMW 64.4

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

$0.63 ZMW 12.00

$0.44 ZMW 8.31

$0.99 ZMW 18.84

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ZMW 6.76

$0.27 ZMW 5.17

$0.47 ZMW 8.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ZMW 17.87

$0.60 ZMW 11.32

$1.90 ZMW 36.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 28.61

$1.17 ZMW 22.19

$2.38 ZMW 45.15

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 24.40

$0.79 ZMW 15.11

$1.75 ZMW 33.31

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ZMW 16.56

$0.62 ZMW 11.77

$1.12 ZMW 21.35

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 ZMW 32.93

$1.11 ZMW 21.09

$4.19 ZMW 79.7

Eggs

$1.52 ZMW 28.90

$1.01 ZMW 19.27

$3.26 ZMW 62.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 ZMW 150

$3.73 ZMW 71.0

$16.41 ZMW 312

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 ZMW 75.3

$2.28 ZMW 43.43

$7.01 ZMW 133

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.77 ZMW 90.6

$2.65 ZMW 50.4

$6.88 ZMW 131

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ZMW 43.94

$1.24 ZMW 23.56

$3.39 ZMW 64.5

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ZMW 29.51

$0.84 ZMW 15.92

$2.95 ZMW 56.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 ZMW 48.05

$1.16 ZMW 22.06

$3.70 ZMW 70.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ZMW 21.42

$0.37 ZMW 7.02

$1.94 ZMW 36.94

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 ZMW 37.95

$0.53 ZMW 10.01

$5.14 ZMW 97.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ZMW 26.88

$0.74 ZMW 14.12

$2.75 ZMW 52.2

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ZMW 18.11

$0.40 ZMW 7.60

$1.35 ZMW 25.71

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ZMW 10.02

$0.30 ZMW 5.65

$0.88 ZMW 16.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 ZMW 42.81

$1.81 ZMW 34.33

$3.83 ZMW 72.8

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 ZMW 125

$4.67 ZMW 88.9

$15.42 ZMW 293

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ZMW 17.55

$0.60 ZMW 11.37

$1.59 ZMW 30.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 ZMW 24.25

$0.77 ZMW 14.62

$2.62 ZMW 49.84

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 18.25

$0.54 ZMW 10.32

$1.79 ZMW 34.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.29 ZMW 766

$30.84 ZMW 586

$53.9 ZMW 1,024

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ZMW 48.06

$1.82 ZMW 34.66

$3.08 ZMW 58.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ZMW 20.16

$0.51 ZMW 9.60

$1.71 ZMW 32.45

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.38 ZMW 178

$9.37 ZMW 178

$11.19 ZMW 213

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ZMW 22.50

$1.12 ZMW 21.38

$1.33 ZMW 25.29

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

$8,144 ZMW 154.8K

$6,941 ZMW 132.0K

$9,347 ZMW 177.7K

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

$29.0K ZMW 551.5K

$6,221 ZMW 118.3K

$32.5K ZMW 617.9K

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

$86.2 ZMW 1,639

$38.59 ZMW 734

$202 ZMW 3,831

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

$51.2 ZMW 973

$5.69 ZMW 108

$100 ZMW 1,909

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 ZMW 2,376

$43.48 ZMW 827

$200 ZMW 3,795

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.02 ZMW 799

$18.19 ZMW 346

$57.6 ZMW 1,095

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.05 ZMW 267

$9.48 ZMW 180

$19.23 ZMW 366

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 ZMW 78.3

$2.24 ZMW 42.52

$4.93 ZMW 93.7

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

$180 ZMW 3,425

$61.2 ZMW 1,163

$312 ZMW 5,933

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,561 ZMW 181.8K

$3,990 ZMW 75.8K

$19.9K ZMW 379.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.55 ZMW 372

$13.52 ZMW 257

$22.54 ZMW 429

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.56 ZMW 334

$8.01 ZMW 152

$36.36 ZMW 691

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 ZMW 1,517

$45.89 ZMW 872

$112 ZMW 2,122

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 ZMW 1,383

$42.96 ZMW 817

$91.3 ZMW 1,736

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 ZMW 4,023

$134 ZMW 2,553

$301 ZMW 5,716

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,400

$89.8 ZMW 1,707

$178 ZMW 3,379

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$850 ZMW 16.1K

$452 ZMW 8,585

$1,966 ZMW 37.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 ZMW 13.4K

$267 ZMW 5,071

$1,491 ZMW 28.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,981 ZMW 37.7K

$1,922 ZMW 36.5K

$2,004 ZMW 38.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,060 ZMW 96.2K

$696 ZMW 13.2K

$16.1K ZMW 306.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$376 ZMW 7,139

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update: March 2, 2026

By City in Zambia

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Chilanga	107051		$534	$637	$1,083	$1,232	14.04	50.86
2	Chingola	210073		$332	$337	$852	$807	33.38	120
3	Kabwe	117517		$479	$618	$1,022	$1,225	172.55	140.89
4	Kafue	-	34	$620	$684	$1,095	$1,340	119.39	273.15
5	Kalomo	-						46.42	200.11
6	Kansanshi	-						44.26	150.03
7	Kaoma	-						25.25	344.49
8	Kasama	113000						292.61	43.89
9	Kawambwa	46171						17.04	29.59
10	Kitwe	522092		$199	$226	$505	$505	313.64	60.61
11	Livingstone	136897		$182	$175	$402	$462	178.22	68.55
12	Lusaka	1742979	43	$654	$851	$1,391	$2,059	231	54.09
13	Namwala	-						27.14	95.27
14	Ndola	455194	36	$553	$711	$1,128	$2,727	141.9	91.31
15	Solwezi	1000000						57.29	150.03
16	Zimba	-		$120	$113	$266	$235	-	88.25

Zambia Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Zambia - Frequently Asked Questions

Cost of Living in Zambia varies by city and lifestyle. Urban centers offer more options but can feel pricier than rural areas, while budget-friendly choices appear in guesthouses, local markets, and community amenities. For travelers, expats, and digital nomads, value comes from mixing affordable everyday services with smart housing and transport decisions. Local markets, casual eateries, and cheaper public transport tend to keep the baseline comfortable, while occasional imported goods or premium services raise the bill. A practical approach is to blend low-cost routines with selective upgrades to support work needs. Tip: build a simple weekly plan to balance higher and lower-cost days.

Daily life in Zambia blends practicality with choice. For housing, look beyond the capital to regional towns where leases feel more negotiable and utilities are more affordable. Food options are abundant in local markets and affordable eateries, making home cooking a reliable saver. Transport ranges from shared minibuses to ride-hailing in cities, with walking or cycling viable in compact neighborhoods. Co-working spaces exist in major hubs, and cafes can serve as quick work spots. Erands are smoother when you know market hours and vendor rhythms. Zambia living cost shifts by location and season; plan a flexible routine to balance busy days with downtime. Tip: map a weekly route that covers work, shopping, and rest.

Quality of life in Zambia varies by neighborhood and pace. A practical budgeting framework helps you stay on track: set core categories (housing, food, transport, and activities), track a few essential expenses, and adjust with the seasons. Smart saving comes from choosing local groceries, cooking at home, using shared workspaces, and negotiating longer leases when possible. To find the right fit, visit a mix of areas – from city centers to quieter suburbs or lakeside zones – and test commute times and access to services. Seasonal shifts can affect crowds and prices, so keep a flexible plan. Tip: keep a small buffer for unexpected costs and sample several districts before committing.