Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kigali vs Lusaka

Kigali vs Lusaka

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lusaka 99% cheaper Kigali +22 Mbps High / Moderate

Kigali

Ifeoluwa B./Unsplash

Lusaka

Vije Vijendranath/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$239,640

Kigali

$1,367

Lusaka

Internet

Mbps

Safety

High

Kigali

Moderate

Lusaka

Air Quality

5/5

Kigali

5/5

Lusaka

Healthcare

Low

Kigali

High

Lusaka

Population

859.3k

Kigali

1.7m

Lusaka

Kigali (Rwanda) 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

The monthly savings are substantial — Lusaka at $1367/mo costs 99% less than Kigali at $239640/mo, adding up to $2859276 over a year.

For families, Kigali costs $401157.4730225886/mo compared to Lusaka's $806.9391088542649/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

For bandwidth-intensive work, Kigali has a clear edge at 42 Mbps (#142 globally) compared to Lusaka's 20 Mbps (#167).

Quality of Life

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

Lusaka offers better healthcare infrastructure than Kigali — an important consideration for longer stays.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kigali is June (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 420), 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

KigaliLusaka

Nomad$239,640/mo$1,367/mo

Expat$57,622/mo$530/mo

Local$114,616/mo$231/mo

Family$401,157/mo$807/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KigaliLusaka

City Speed

42 Mbps#142

20 Mbps#167

Country Speed41 Mbps22 Mbps

Environment & Health

KigaliLusaka

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionModerateHigh

ClimateHighN/A

Humidity7689

Quality of Life

KigaliLusaka

SafetyHighModerate

HealthcareLowHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kigali

Lusaka

Jan

29°

3mm358

29°

3mm309

Feb

30°

1mm396

32°

0mm389

Mar

31°

0mm405

29°

1mm378

Apr

29°

2mm343

27°

0mm402

May

29°

0mm408

24°

0mm402

Jun

27°

0mm420

20°

0mm382

Jul

28°

0mm420

24°

0mm402

Aug

28°

0mm420

25°

0mm402

Sep

30°

0mm420

29°

0mm402

Oct

30°

1mm396

31°

0mm402

Nov

28°

7mm333

32°

1mm378

Dec

27°

1mm358

33°

0mm387

Who Should Choose Kigali?

High safety rating for peace of mind
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Peak season in June — 27 degrees, score 420

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

The data favors Lusaka as the more well-rounded choice. At $1367/mo versus Kigali's $239640/mo, that is a 99% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Kigali Lusaka

ItemKigaliLusakaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.58$3

14%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$37.54$18.37

51%

McMeal or equivalent combo$7.51$3.17

58%

Cappuccino (regular)$2.45$1.81

26%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.94$1.22

23%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.88$1.5

20%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.72$0.88

18%

Water (0.33L)$0.54$0.47

13%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.7$1.34

48%

White bread (500g)$0.97$0.95

White rice (1kg)$1.04$2

48%

Eggs (12)$1.4$1.73

19%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.95$4.18

16%

Beef round (1kg)$3.17$5.3

40%

Local cheese (1kg)$4.52$9.11

50%

Apples (1kg)$3.54$2.48

30%

Bananas (1kg)$1.02$1.49

32%

Oranges (1kg)$1.67$2.51

33%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.92$1.16

21%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.34$1.23

72%

Onions (1kg)$0.82$1.59

48%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.67$1.22

45%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.71$0.98

28%

Wine, mid-range bottle$8.45$4.9

42%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.95$0.99

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.23$1.26

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.64$2.66

38%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.33$1.24

73%

Monthly transport pass$12.2$30.62

60%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.82$3

Taxi per 1km$1.17$0.62

47%

Taxi 1hr waiting$9.39$9.19

Gasoline (1L)$1.34$1.36

Volkswagen Golf (new)$22,524.64$8,593.28

62%

Toyota Corolla (new)$13,139.37$6,444.46

51%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$49.76$140.69

65%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$31.79$103.74

69%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.06$0.07

14%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$34.26$23.82

30%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$5.87$4.78

19%

Cinema, 1 ticket$4.69$2

57%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$154.6$171.24

10%

International primary school/yr$1,640.66$14,061.39

88%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$22.88$12.66

45%

Summer dress (chain store)$28.36$31.12

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$33.79$90.18

63%

Men's leather business shoes$48.78$105.64

54%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$435.74$262.01

40%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$306.65$168.4

45%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$1,217.72$832.64

32%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$657.24$439.96

33%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$2,884.51$10,763.91

73%

Price per m², outside centre$20,741.44—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$414.52$396.94

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$17.62$26

32%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

Related Comparisons

See all comparisons

KigalivsPort Harcourt