Cost of Living in Zambia - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $623 (excluding rent), and $840 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,366 (excluding rent), and $2,140 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.97 ZMW 139

$3.75 ZMW 74.7

$11.16 ZMW 222

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.45 ZMW 467

$20.72 ZMW 413

$32.89 ZMW 655

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 ZMW 74.6

$3.65 ZMW 72.8

$3.96 ZMW 78.9

Cappuccino

$1.89 ZMW 37.70

$0.93 ZMW 18.56

$3.35 ZMW 66.7

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

$0.68 ZMW 13.49

$0.47 ZMW 9.34

$1.06 ZMW 21.17

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ZMW 6.48

$0.25 ZMW 4.96

$0.43 ZMW 8.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 ZMW 18.28

$0.58 ZMW 11.58

$1.85 ZMW 36.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 29.98

$1.17 ZMW 23.25

$2.37 ZMW 47.31

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 ZMW 24.86

$0.77 ZMW 15.39

$1.70 ZMW 33.94

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ZMW 16.29

$0.58 ZMW 11.58

$1.05 ZMW 21.00

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 ZMW 36.46

$1.17 ZMW 23.35

$4.43 ZMW 88.3

Eggs

$1.53 ZMW 30.56

$1.02 ZMW 20.37

$3.29 ZMW 65.6

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 ZMW 158

$3.73 ZMW 74.4

$16.41 ZMW 327

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ZMW 78.1

$2.26 ZMW 44.99

$6.93 ZMW 138

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.91 ZMW 97.9

$2.73 ZMW 54.5

$7.09 ZMW 141

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ZMW 46.11

$1.24 ZMW 24.72

$3.40 ZMW 67.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ZMW 31.04

$0.84 ZMW 16.74

$2.96 ZMW 59.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 ZMW 51.9

$1.19 ZMW 23.81

$3.81 ZMW 75.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ZMW 23.75

$0.39 ZMW 7.78

$2.05 ZMW 40.94

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 39.19

$0.52 ZMW 10.33

$5.06 ZMW 101

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 ZMW 28.51

$0.75 ZMW 14.97

$2.78 ZMW 55.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ZMW 18.06

$0.38 ZMW 7.57

$1.29 ZMW 25.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ZMW 11.26

$0.32 ZMW 6.34

$0.94 ZMW 18.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 ZMW 45.80

$1.84 ZMW 36.72

$3.91 ZMW 77.9

Wine (Bottle)

$6.24 ZMW 124

$4.42 ZMW 88.1

$14.58 ZMW 291

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ZMW 16.80

$0.55 ZMW 10.88

$1.46 ZMW 29.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ZMW 25.72

$0.78 ZMW 15.51

$2.65 ZMW 52.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 19.06

$0.54 ZMW 10.78

$1.79 ZMW 35.61

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 ZMW 782

$30.04 ZMW 599

$52.5 ZMW 1,045

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 ZMW 49.34

$1.79 ZMW 35.58

$3.02 ZMW 60.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ZMW 20.50

$0.49 ZMW 9.76

$1.66 ZMW 33.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.36 ZMW 187

$9.35 ZMW 186

$11.16 ZMW 222

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ZMW 23.45

$1.12 ZMW 22.29

$1.32 ZMW 26.35

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

$8,112 ZMW 161.7K

$6,914 ZMW 137.8K

$9,309 ZMW 185.5K

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

$28.5K ZMW 568.5K

$6,117 ZMW 121.9K

$32.0K ZMW 637.0K

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

$86.8 ZMW 1,730

$38.85 ZMW 774

$203 ZMW 4,044

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

$51.0 ZMW 1,017

$5.68 ZMW 113

$100 ZMW 1,996

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 ZMW 2,460

$42.92 ZMW 855

$197 ZMW 3,928

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.51 ZMW 827

$17.97 ZMW 358

$56.9 ZMW 1,134

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ZMW 273

$9.23 ZMW 184

$18.72 ZMW 373

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 ZMW 81.7

$2.23 ZMW 44.37

$4.90 ZMW 97.7

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

$177 ZMW 3,527

$60.1 ZMW 1,197

$307 ZMW 6,109

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,450 ZMW 188.3K

$3,943 ZMW 78.6K

$19.7K ZMW 393.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.64 ZMW 391

$13.59 ZMW 271

$22.65 ZMW 451

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.66 ZMW 352

$8.06 ZMW 161

$36.56 ZMW 729

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 ZMW 1,582

$45.64 ZMW 910

$111 ZMW 2,213

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 ZMW 1,449

$42.93 ZMW 856

$91.3 ZMW 1,819

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 ZMW 4,220

$134 ZMW 2,678

$301 ZMW 5,995

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 ZMW 2,538

$90.6 ZMW 1,805

$179 ZMW 3,574

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 ZMW 17.2K

$458 ZMW 9,131

$1,994 ZMW 39.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 ZMW 14.0K

$266 ZMW 5,301

$1,487 ZMW 29.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ZMW 39.5K

$1,921 ZMW 38.3K

$2,003 ZMW 39.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,165 ZMW 102.9K

$711 ZMW 14.2K

$16.5K ZMW 327.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$337 ZMW 6,726

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

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

Last update: January 12, 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		$616	$626	$1,164	$1,263	14.04	50.86
2	Chingola	210073		$268	$332	$856	$809	33.38	120
3	Kabwe	117517		$556	$609	$967	$1,217	172.55	140.89
4	Kafue	-	34	$635	$680	$1,194	$1,366	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		$225	$226	$462	$493	313.64	60.61
11	Livingstone	136897		$183	$170	$507	$440	178.22	68.55
12	Lusaka	1742979	43	$639	$867	$1,391	$2,059	231	54.09
13	Namwala	-						27.14	95.27
14	Ndola	455194	36	$532	$712	$1,062	$2,680	141.9	91.31
15	Solwezi	1000000						57.29	150.03
16	Zimba	-		$105	$108	$239	$233	-	88.25

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.