Cost of Living in Zambia - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $641 (excluding rent), and $857 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,348 (excluding rent), and $2,139 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ZMW 133

$3.73 ZMW 71.4

$11.12 ZMW 213

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ZMW 446

$20.59 ZMW 394

$32.67 ZMW 625

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 ZMW 70.6

$3.60 ZMW 68.9

$3.90 ZMW 74.7

Cappuccino

$1.97 ZMW 37.66

$0.97 ZMW 18.54

$3.48 ZMW 66.6

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

$0.63 ZMW 12.01

$0.43 ZMW 8.31

$0.98 ZMW 18.84

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ZMW 6.76

$0.27 ZMW 5.17

$0.47 ZMW 8.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ZMW 17.86

$0.59 ZMW 11.31

$1.89 ZMW 36.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 28.63

$1.16 ZMW 22.21

$2.36 ZMW 45.19

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 24.54

$0.79 ZMW 15.19

$1.75 ZMW 33.50

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 ZMW 16.34

$0.61 ZMW 11.62

$1.10 ZMW 21.06

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 ZMW 33.12

$1.11 ZMW 21.21

$4.19 ZMW 80.2

Eggs

$1.52 ZMW 29.11

$1.01 ZMW 19.40

$3.27 ZMW 62.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 ZMW 144

$3.54 ZMW 67.8

$15.57 ZMW 298

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ZMW 75.4

$2.27 ZMW 43.48

$6.98 ZMW 133

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.81 ZMW 92.1

$2.68 ZMW 51.2

$6.95 ZMW 133

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ZMW 45.46

$1.27 ZMW 24.38

$3.49 ZMW 66.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ZMW 28.58

$0.81 ZMW 15.42

$2.84 ZMW 54.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.74

$1.15 ZMW 21.92

$3.65 ZMW 69.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ZMW 21.93

$0.38 ZMW 7.18

$1.98 ZMW 37.81

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 ZMW 39.38

$0.54 ZMW 10.38

$5.29 ZMW 101

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ZMW 25.94

$0.71 ZMW 13.63

$2.63 ZMW 50.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ZMW 18.12

$0.40 ZMW 7.60

$1.34 ZMW 25.72

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 10.00

$0.29 ZMW 5.64

$0.87 ZMW 16.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 ZMW 42.23

$1.77 ZMW 33.86

$3.75 ZMW 71.8

Wine (Bottle)

$6.76 ZMW 129

$4.50 ZMW 86.0

$15.13 ZMW 290

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ZMW 16.08

$0.54 ZMW 10.42

$1.45 ZMW 27.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ZMW 23.67

$0.75 ZMW 14.28

$2.54 ZMW 48.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 ZMW 19.68

$0.58 ZMW 11.13

$1.92 ZMW 36.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 ZMW 770

$30.80 ZMW 589

$53.8 ZMW 1,029

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 ZMW 49.15

$1.85 ZMW 35.44

$3.13 ZMW 59.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ZMW 19.50

$0.49 ZMW 9.29

$1.64 ZMW 31.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 ZMW 181

$9.44 ZMW 181

$11.27 ZMW 216

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ZMW 22.51

$1.12 ZMW 21.40

$1.32 ZMW 25.30

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

$8,042 ZMW 153.8K

$6,854 ZMW 131.1K

$9,229 ZMW 176.6K

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

$28.4K ZMW 543.6K

$6,094 ZMW 116.6K

$31.8K ZMW 609.1K

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

$86.1 ZMW 1,647

$38.53 ZMW 737

$201 ZMW 3,850

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

$50.9 ZMW 973

$5.66 ZMW 108

$99.8 ZMW 1,910

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$125 ZMW 2,400

$43.63 ZMW 835

$200 ZMW 3,832

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.59 ZMW 815

$18.44 ZMW 353

$58.4 ZMW 1,116

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.89 ZMW 266

$9.38 ZMW 179

$19.02 ZMW 364

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 ZMW 77.9

$2.21 ZMW 42.28

$4.87 ZMW 93.1

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

$176 ZMW 3,374

$59.9 ZMW 1,145

$306 ZMW 5,844

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,412 ZMW 180.1K

$3,928 ZMW 75.1K

$19.6K ZMW 375.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.83 ZMW 379

$13.72 ZMW 262

$22.87 ZMW 437

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.85 ZMW 341

$8.15 ZMW 156

$36.95 ZMW 707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 ZMW 1,521

$45.71 ZMW 874

$111 ZMW 2,127

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ZMW 1,396

$43.09 ZMW 824

$91.6 ZMW 1,752

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 ZMW 4,101

$136 ZMW 2,603

$305 ZMW 5,827

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$126 ZMW 2,417

$89.9 ZMW 1,719

$178 ZMW 3,403

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 ZMW 16.6K

$460 ZMW 8,802

$2,003 ZMW 38.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 ZMW 13.3K

$264 ZMW 5,047

$1,475 ZMW 28.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,001 ZMW 38.3K

$1,941 ZMW 37.1K

$2,025 ZMW 38.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 ZMW 96.7K

$696 ZMW 13.3K

$16.1K ZMW 308.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$383 ZMW 7,334

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update: April 11, 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		$501	$634	$1,294	$1,278	38.4	38.54
2	Chingola	210073		$298	$341	$793	$813	40.97	51.07
3	Kabwe	117517		$532	$647	$1,282	$1,253	78.83	58.87
4	Kafue	-	35	$596	$694	$1,179	$1,391	73.54	260.05
5	Kalomo	-						45.61	70.24
6	Kansanshi	-						251.02	79.52
7	Kaoma	-						210.14	83.99
8	Kasama	113000						193.06	91.97
9	Kawambwa	46171						17.04	29.59
10	Kitwe	522092		$251	$224	$579	$500	92.75	64.82
11	Livingstone	136897		$174	$175	$457	$446	30.9	65.58
12	Lusaka	1742979	43	$639	$850	$1,369	$2,069	26.67	40.99
13	Namwala	-						27.14	95.27
14	Ndola	455194	36	$526	$727	$1,069	$2,752	116.33	67.4
15	Solwezi	1000000						33.62	79.52
16	Zimba	-		$127	$110	$232	$234	146.19	182.94

Zambia Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 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.