Cost of Living in Zambia - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $634 (excluding rent), and $836 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,339 (excluding rent), and $2,139 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 ZMW 145

$3.91 ZMW 77.8

$11.64 ZMW 232

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.85 ZMW 455

$20.20 ZMW 403

$32.05 ZMW 639

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.76 ZMW 75.0

$3.67 ZMW 73.2

$3.98 ZMW 79.3

Cappuccino

$1.93 ZMW 38.37

$0.95 ZMW 18.89

$3.41 ZMW 67.9

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

$0.63 ZMW 12.56

$0.44 ZMW 8.69

$0.99 ZMW 19.70

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ZMW 6.46

$0.25 ZMW 4.94

$0.43 ZMW 8.55

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ZMW 17.67

$0.56 ZMW 11.19

$1.79 ZMW 35.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ZMW 29.66

$1.15 ZMW 23.00

$2.35 ZMW 46.81

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ZMW 25.56

$0.79 ZMW 15.82

$1.75 ZMW 34.89

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ZMW 15.77

$0.56 ZMW 11.21

$1.02 ZMW 20.33

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ZMW 35.86

$1.15 ZMW 22.96

$4.36 ZMW 86.8

Eggs

$1.47 ZMW 29.25

$0.98 ZMW 19.50

$3.15 ZMW 62.8

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ZMW 150

$3.55 ZMW 70.8

$15.62 ZMW 311

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 ZMW 80.2

$2.32 ZMW 46.22

$7.12 ZMW 142

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.79 ZMW 95.4

$2.66 ZMW 53.1

$6.91 ZMW 138

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ZMW 46.06

$1.24 ZMW 24.69

$3.39 ZMW 67.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ZMW 31.19

$0.84 ZMW 16.83

$2.98 ZMW 59.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ZMW 51.5

$1.19 ZMW 23.62

$3.78 ZMW 75.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ZMW 23.52

$0.39 ZMW 7.70

$2.03 ZMW 40.55

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 ZMW 40.41

$0.53 ZMW 10.66

$5.22 ZMW 104

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 27.45

$0.72 ZMW 14.42

$2.68 ZMW 53.3

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ZMW 19.08

$0.40 ZMW 8.00

$1.36 ZMW 27.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ZMW 10.74

$0.30 ZMW 6.05

$0.90 ZMW 17.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 ZMW 45.02

$1.81 ZMW 36.10

$3.84 ZMW 76.6

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 ZMW 126

$4.49 ZMW 89.6

$14.83 ZMW 295

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ZMW 17.87

$0.58 ZMW 11.57

$1.55 ZMW 30.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 ZMW 24.63

$0.75 ZMW 14.86

$2.54 ZMW 50.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 ZMW 20.19

$0.57 ZMW 11.42

$1.89 ZMW 37.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.26 ZMW 782

$30.05 ZMW 599

$52.5 ZMW 1,046

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 ZMW 49.12

$1.78 ZMW 35.42

$3.00 ZMW 59.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ZMW 20.46

$0.49 ZMW 9.74

$1.65 ZMW 32.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 ZMW 180

$9.02 ZMW 180

$10.77 ZMW 215

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ZMW 24.37

$1.16 ZMW 23.17

$1.37 ZMW 27.40

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

$7,988 ZMW 159.2K

$6,808 ZMW 135.7K

$9,167 ZMW 182.7K

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

$28.8K ZMW 573.5K

$6,171 ZMW 123.0K

$32.2K ZMW 642.6K

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

$85.9 ZMW 1,712

$38.45 ZMW 766

$201 ZMW 4,003

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

$51.0 ZMW 1,016

$5.68 ZMW 113

$100 ZMW 1,995

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 ZMW 2,470

$43.10 ZMW 859

$198 ZMW 3,944

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.30 ZMW 823

$17.88 ZMW 356

$56.6 ZMW 1,128

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ZMW 272

$9.22 ZMW 184

$18.69 ZMW 372

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 ZMW 83.8

$2.28 ZMW 45.53

$5.03 ZMW 100

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

$178 ZMW 3,552

$60.5 ZMW 1,206

$309 ZMW 6,153

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,698 ZMW 193.3K

$4,047 ZMW 80.7K

$20.2K ZMW 403.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.37 ZMW 386

$13.40 ZMW 267

$22.34 ZMW 445

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 344

$7.88 ZMW 157

$35.76 ZMW 713

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 ZMW 1,546

$44.59 ZMW 889

$108 ZMW 2,162

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ZMW 1,464

$43.40 ZMW 865

$92.3 ZMW 1,839

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 ZMW 4,195

$134 ZMW 2,663

$299 ZMW 5,960

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 ZMW 2,531

$90.3 ZMW 1,800

$179 ZMW 3,563

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 ZMW 17.5K

$466 ZMW 9,279

$2,026 ZMW 40.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 ZMW 14.2K

$270 ZMW 5,388

$1,511 ZMW 30.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,945 ZMW 38.8K

$1,887 ZMW 37.6K

$1,968 ZMW 39.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,156 ZMW 102.8K

$709 ZMW 14.1K

$16.4K ZMW 327.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$343 ZMW 6,830

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 18, 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		$539	$625	$1,269	$1,255	14.04	50.86
2	Chingola	210073		$271	$340	$751	$798	33.38	120
3	Kabwe	117517		$511	$613	$1,181	$1,243	172.55	140.89
4	Kafue	-	34	$535	$674	$1,152	$1,351	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		$226	$223	$543	$502	313.64	60.61
11	Livingstone	136897		$177	$172	$505	$444	178.22	68.55
12	Lusaka	1742979	43	$643	$850	$1,403	$2,046	231	54.09
13	Namwala	-						27.14	95.27
14	Ndola	455194	36	$515	$710	$1,213	$2,642	141.9	91.31
15	Solwezi	1000000						57.29	150.03
16	Zimba	-		$103	$109	$206	$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.