Kumasi vs Lusaka

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lusaka 4% cheaper Kumasi +15 Mbps N/A / Moderate
Nomad Cost

$1,424

Kumasi

$1,367

Lusaka

Internet

35

Mbps

20

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Kumasi

Moderate

Lusaka

Air Quality

5/5

Kumasi

5/5

Lusaka

Healthcare

N/A

Kumasi

High

Lusaka

Population

1.7m

Kumasi

1.7m

Lusaka

Kumasi (Ghana) 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 — Kumasi at $1424/mo and Lusaka at $1367/mo — so cost alone is not a deciding factor here.

For families, Kumasi costs $947.273051202418/mo compared to Lusaka's $806.9391088542649/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Kumasi leads on internet connectivity at 35 Mbps (ranked #150 globally) versus Lusaka's 20 Mbps (#167). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Kumasi and Lusaka.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kumasi is November (around 37 degrees, 0mm rain, score 316), 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

KumasiLusaka
Nomad$1,424/mo$1,367/mo
Expat$924/mo$530/mo
Local$271/mo$231/mo
Family$947/mo$807/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KumasiLusaka
City Speed
35 Mbps#150
20 Mbps#167
Country Speed51 Mbps22 Mbps

Environment & Health

KumasiLusaka
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionN/AHigh
ClimateN/AN/A
Humidity6389

Quality of Life

KumasiLusaka
SafetyN/AModerate
HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kumasi
Lusaka
Jan
38°
0mm309
29°
3mm309
Feb
40°
0mm299
32°
0mm389
Mar
40°
5mm300
29°
1mm378
Apr
40°
4mm300
27°
0mm402
May
39°
2mm300
24°
0mm402
Jun
36°
7mm246
20°
0mm382
Jul
34°
1mm256
24°
0mm402
Aug
33°
1mm267
25°
0mm402
Sep
34°
2mm272
29°
0mm402
Oct
36°
5mm246
31°
0mm402
Nov
37°
0mm316
32°
1mm378
Dec
37°
0mm309
33°
0mm387

Who Should Choose Kumasi?

  • Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1424
  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Family-friendly at $947.273051202418/mo for families
  • Peak season in November — 37 degrees, score 316

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 4% cheaper than Kumasi's $1424/mo, with 20 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Kumasi Lusaka
ItemKumasiLusakaDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$1.79$3
40%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$11.43$18.37
38%
McMeal or equivalent combo$4.46$3.17
29%
Cappuccino (regular)$0.55$1.81
70%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$0.46$1.22
62%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$0.71$1.5
53%
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.35$0.88
60%
Water (0.33L)$0.08$0.47
83%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$1.19$1.34
11%
White bread (500g)$0.85$0.95
11%
White rice (1kg)$1.88$2
6%
Eggs (12)$1.04$1.73
40%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$2.12$4.18
49%
Beef round (1kg)$1.81$5.3
66%
Local cheese (1kg)$5$9.11
45%
Apples (1kg)$1.57$2.48
37%
Bananas (1kg)$1.45$1.49
3%
Oranges (1kg)$1.33$2.51
47%
Tomatoes (1kg)$1.35$1.16
14%
Potatoes (1kg)$1.57$1.23
22%
Onions (1kg)$1.35$1.59
15%
Lettuce (1 head)$0.74$1.22
39%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.7$0.98
29%
Wine, mid-range bottle$3.32$4.9
32%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.48$0.99
52%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$0.88$1.26
30%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$0.71$2.66
73%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.21$1.24
83%
Monthly transport pass$3.11$30.62
90%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.57$3
81%
Taxi per 1km$0.36$0.62
42%
Taxi 1hr waiting$4.64$9.19
50%
Gasoline (1L)$0.51$1.36
63%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$4,000$8,593.28
53%
Toyota Corolla (new)$4,285.71$6,444.46
33%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$14.29$140.69
90%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$36.66$103.74
65%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1$0.07
30%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$11.9$23.82
50%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$6.31$4.78
24%
Cinema, 1 ticket$1.79$2
10%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$41.67$171.24
76%
International primary school/yr$1,428.57$14,061.39
90%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$5.95$12.66
53%
Summer dress (chain store)$5.36$31.12
83%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$16.67$90.18
82%
Men's leather business shoes$15.48$105.64
85%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$130.95$262.01
50%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$79.76$168.4
53%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$410.71$832.64
51%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$285.71$439.96
35%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$114.29$10,763.91
99%
Price per m², outside centre$14,285.71—
—
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$440.44$396.94
10%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$13.33$26
49%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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