Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Antananarivo vs Lusaka

Antananarivo vs Lusaka

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Antananarivo +13 Mbps Low / Moderate

Antananarivo

Sitraka Mamy Tantely Andriamialijaona/Unsplash

Lusaka

Vije Vijendranath/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,366

Antananarivo

$1,367

Lusaka

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Low

Antananarivo

Moderate

Lusaka

Air Quality

5/5

Antananarivo

5/5

Lusaka

Healthcare

High

Antananarivo

High

Lusaka

Population

1.3m

Antananarivo

1.7m

Lusaka

Antananarivo (Madagascar) and Lusaka (Zambia) are both in Africa, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Both cities sit in a similar price range — Antananarivo at $1366/mo and Lusaka at $1367/mo — so cost alone is not a deciding factor here.

For families, Antananarivo costs $1813.604133953397/mo compared to Lusaka's $806.9391088542649/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Antananarivo leads on internet connectivity at 33 Mbps (ranked #153 globally) versus Lusaka's 20 Mbps (#167). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Lusaka has a stronger safety profile than Antananarivo, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Antananarivo and Lusaka.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Antananarivo is September (around 25 degrees, 0mm rain, score 402), while Lusaka peaks in April (27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 402). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AntananarivoLusaka

Nomad$1,366/mo$1,367/mo

Expat$954/mo$530/mo

Local$518/mo$231/mo

Family$1,814/mo$807/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AntananarivoLusaka

City Speed

33 Mbps#153

20 Mbps#167

Country Speed29 Mbps22 Mbps

Environment & Health

AntananarivoLusaka

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateHighN/A

Humidity8189

Quality of Life

AntananarivoLusaka

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareHighHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Antananarivo

Lusaka

Jan

30°

7mm192

29°

3mm309

Feb

29°

6mm238

32°

0mm389

Mar

28°

1mm330

29°

1mm378

Apr

28°

0mm378

27°

0mm402

May

22°

0mm382

24°

0mm402

Jun

21°

0mm382

20°

0mm382

Jul

22°

0mm382

24°

0mm402

Aug

21°

0mm382

25°

0mm402

Sep

25°

0mm402

29°

0mm402

Oct

27°

0mm402

31°

0mm402

Nov

31°

0mm402

32°

1mm378

Dec

30°

0mm400

33°

0mm387

Who Should Choose Antananarivo?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1366
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1813.604133953397/mo for families
Peak season in September — 25 degrees, score 402

Who Should Choose Lusaka?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1367
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $806.9391088542649/mo for families
Peak season in April — 27 degrees, score 402

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lusaka edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1367/mo it runs 0% cheaper than Antananarivo's $1366/mo, with 20 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Antananarivo Lusaka

ItemAntananarivoLusakaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$4.12$3

27%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$20.62$18.37

11%

McMeal or equivalent combo$6.87$3.17

54%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.15$1.81

36%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.15$1.22

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.6$1.5

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.84$0.88

Water (0.33L)$0.5$0.47

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.98$1.34

27%

White bread (500g)$1.12$0.95

15%

White rice (1kg)$0.66$2

67%

Eggs (12)$1.9$1.73

Chicken fillets (1kg)$5.73$4.18

27%

Beef round (1kg)$4.73$5.3

11%

Local cheese (1kg)$7.56$9.11

17%

Apples (1kg)$2$2.48

19%

Bananas (1kg)$0.57$1.49

62%

Oranges (1kg)$0.87$2.51

65%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.82$1.16

29%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.53$1.23

57%

Onions (1kg)$0.89$1.59

44%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.22$1.22

82%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.54$0.98

45%

Wine, mid-range bottle$8.02$4.9

39%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.95$0.99

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.52$1.26

17%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.27$2.66

50%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.14$1.24

89%

Monthly transport pass$2.61$30.62

91%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.15$3

62%

Taxi per 1km$1.15$0.62

46%

Taxi 1hr waiting$4.58$9.19

50%

Gasoline (1L)$1.03$1.36

24%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,613.97$8,593.28

54%

Toyota Corolla (new)$25,773.2$6,444.46

75%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$44.9$140.69

68%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$58.79$103.74

43%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.05$0.07

29%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$54.41$23.82

56%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$6.49$4.78

26%

Cinema, 1 ticket$6.87$2

71%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$202.37$171.24

15%

International primary school/yr$5,024.82$14,061.39

64%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$35.13$12.66

64%

Summer dress (chain store)$25.2$31.12

19%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$103.09$90.18

13%

Men's leather business shoes$68.73$105.64

35%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$431.46$262.01

39%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$200.46$168.4

16%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$916.38$832.64

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$448.08$439.96

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$916.38$10,763.91

91%

Price per m², outside centre$458.19—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$142.04$396.94

64%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$17.5$26

33%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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