Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Asmara vs Livingstone

Asmara vs Livingstone

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Livingstone +20 Mbps N/A / N/A

Asmara

mulugeta wolde/Unsplash

Livingstone

Simon Eric/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,253

Asmara

$1,239

Livingstone

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Asmara

N/A

Livingstone

Air Quality

5/5

Asmara

5/5

Livingstone

Healthcare

N/A

Asmara

N/A

Livingstone

Population

804.0k

Asmara

139.5k

Livingstone

Asmara (Eritrea) and Livingstone (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 — Asmara at $1253/mo and Livingstone at $1239/mo — so cost alone is not a deciding factor here.

Internet & Infrastructure

Livingstone leads on internet connectivity at 22 Mbps (ranked #0 globally) versus Asmara's 2 Mbps (#0). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Asmara and Livingstone share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Asmara and Livingstone.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Asmara is February (around 24 degrees, 0mm rain, score 344), while Livingstone peaks in February (21 degrees, 0mm rain, score 364). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

AsmaraLivingstone

Nomad$1,253/mo$1,239/mo

Expat$661/mo$617/mo

Local–$326/mo

Family–$1,143/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

AsmaraLivingstone

City Speed

2 Mbps

22 Mbps

Country Speed0 Mbps22 Mbps

Environment & Health

AsmaraLivingstone

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AN/A

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity3512

Quality of Life

AsmaraLivingstone

SafetyN/AN/A

HealthcareN/AN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Asmara

Livingstone

Jan

22°

0mm324

18°

0mm344

Feb

24°

0mm344

21°

0mm364

Mar

24°

0mm344

28°

0mm364

Apr

25°

0mm344

32°

0mm324

May

26°

0mm344

37°

0mm314

Jun

25°

0mm329

39°

0mm304

Jul

21°

2mm232

39°

0mm314

Aug

20°

7mm109

37°

1mm329

Sep

22°

0mm314

37°

0mm314

Oct

21°

0mm324

32°

0mm324

Nov

21°

0mm324

22°

0mm364

Dec

20°

0mm324

18°

0mm344

Who Should Choose Asmara?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1253
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in February — 24 degrees, score 344

Who Should Choose Livingstone?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1239
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1142.572752170546/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 139.5k residents
Peak season in February — 21 degrees, score 364

Overall Verdict

Overall, Livingstone edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1239/mo it runs 1% cheaper than Asmara's $1253/mo, with 22 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Asmara Livingstone

ItemAsmaraLivingstoneDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$11.4—

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$20—

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$2.67—

—

Cappuccino (regular)$1.06—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2—

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.56—

—

Water (0.33L)$1.57—

—

🛒Markets16 items

Milk (1L)$1.45—

—

White bread (500g)$0.5—

—

White rice (1kg)$1.87—

—

Eggs (12)$4.8—

—

Beef round (1kg)$10—

—

Apples (1kg)$4.33—

—

Bananas (1kg)$1—

—

Oranges (1kg)$1.89—

—

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.44—

—

Potatoes (1kg)$1.56—

—

Onions (1kg)$1—

—

Lettuce (1 head)$0.67—

—

Water (1.5L bottle)$1.58—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.33—

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.5—

—

🚌Transport5 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.22—

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.67—

—

Taxi per 1km$0.67—

—

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.67—

—

Gasoline (1L)$2.17—

—

⚡Utilities2 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$30—

—

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1—

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure2 items

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$1—

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$25—

—

International primary school/yr$750—

—

👗Clothing3 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$30—

—

Summer dress (chain store)$30—

—

Men's leather business shoes$40—

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$650—

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$600—

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$850—

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$750—

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,038.2—

—

Price per m², outside centre$1,337.96—

—

💰Finance1 items

Average monthly net salary$1,060—

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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