Luanda vs Lusaka

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lusaka 47% cheaper Low / Moderate
Nomad Cost

$2,588

Luanda

$1,367

Lusaka

Internet

23

Mbps

20

Mbps

Safety

Low

Luanda

Moderate

Lusaka

Air Quality

5/5

Luanda

5/5

Lusaka

Healthcare

High

Luanda

High

Lusaka

Population

2.2m

Luanda

1.7m

Lusaka

Luanda (Angola) 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

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Lusaka costs $1367/mo, saving 47% compared to Luanda's $2588/mo — that's $14652 per year.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are comparable: Luanda at 23 Mbps (#160) slightly outpaces Lusaka's 20 Mbps (#167).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Luanda and Lusaka.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Luanda is May (around 36 degrees, 0mm rain, score 399), 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

LuandaLusaka
Nomad$2,588/mo$1,367/mo
Expat$891/mo$530/mo
Local–$231/mo
Family–$807/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LuandaLusaka
City Speed
23 Mbps#160
20 Mbps#167
Country Speed22 Mbps22 Mbps

Environment & Health

LuandaLusaka
Air Quality Score5/55/5
PollutionHighHigh
ClimateHighN/A
Humidity8289

Quality of Life

LuandaLusaka
SafetyLowModerate
HealthcareHighHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Luanda
Lusaka
Jan
35°
0mm385
29°
3mm309
Feb
37°
4mm328
32°
0mm389
Mar
38°
6mm235
29°
1mm378
Apr
38°
2mm333
27°
0mm402
May
36°
0mm399
24°
0mm402
Jun
30°
0mm399
20°
0mm382
Jul
27°
0mm399
24°
0mm402
Aug
27°
0mm399
25°
0mm402
Sep
28°
0mm399
29°
0mm402
Oct
31°
0mm397
31°
0mm402
Nov
33°
4mm389
32°
1mm378
Dec
35°
10mm205
33°
0mm387

Who Should Choose Luanda?

  • Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
  • Major city energy with 2.2m residents
  • Peak season in May — 36 degrees, score 399

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

For the typical digital nomad, Lusaka is the stronger pick. At $1367/mo it beats Luanda's $2588/mo by 47%, and the 20 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Luanda Lusaka
ItemLuandaLusakaDiff
🍽️Restaurants8 items
Meal, inexpensive restaurant$7.84$3
62%
Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$64.25$18.37
71%
McMeal or equivalent combo$10.51$3.17
70%
Cappuccino (regular)$3.93$1.81
54%
Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.2$1.22
45%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.5$1.5
=
Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$1.95$0.88
55%
Water (0.33L)$1.42$0.47
67%
🛒Markets19 items
Milk (1L)$2.49$1.34
46%
White bread (500g)$2.58$0.95
63%
White rice (1kg)$1.54$2
23%
Eggs (12)$3.68$1.73
53%
Chicken fillets (1kg)$8.61$4.18
51%
Beef round (1kg)$16.6$5.3
68%
Local cheese (1kg)$5.46$9.11
40%
Apples (1kg)$4.5$2.48
45%
Bananas (1kg)$0.76$1.49
49%
Oranges (1kg)$3.47$2.51
28%
Tomatoes (1kg)$3.34$1.16
65%
Potatoes (1kg)$2.5$1.23
51%
Onions (1kg)$2.17$1.59
27%
Lettuce (1 head)$1.18$1.22
3%
Water (1.5L bottle)$0.48$0.98
51%
Wine, mid-range bottle$10.02$4.9
51%
Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.78$0.99
21%
Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$0.79$1.26
37%
Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2$2.66
25%
🚌Transport8 items
One-way local transport ticket$0.59$1.24
52%
Monthly transport pass$31.78$30.62
4%
Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.67$3
44%
Taxi per 1km$1.67$0.62
63%
Taxi 1hr waiting$8$9.19
13%
Gasoline (1L)$0.33$1.36
76%
Volkswagen Golf (new)$22,541.71$8,593.28
62%
Toyota Corolla (new)$23,628.3$6,444.46
73%
⚡Utilities3 items
Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$30.78$140.69
78%
Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$192.23$103.74
46%
Mobile prepaid per minute$0.1$0.07
30%
🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items
Fitness club, monthly$40.05$23.82
41%
Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$28.35$4.78
83%
Cinema, 1 ticket$4.84$2
59%
👶Childcare2 items
Preschool, full-day private/mo$929.37$171.24
82%
International primary school/yr$2,705.62$14,061.39
81%
👗Clothing4 items
Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$95.95$12.66
87%
Summer dress (chain store)$150.31$31.12
79%
Nike running shoes (mid-range)$267.21$90.18
66%
Men's leather business shoes$208.25$105.64
49%
🏠Rent4 items
1-bedroom apartment, city centre$220.39$262.01
16%
1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$80.85$168.4
52%
3-bedroom apartment, city centre$6,880.05$832.64
88%
3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$346.62$439.96
21%
🏗️Buy2 items
Price per m², city centre$5,421.61$10,763.91
50%
Price per m², outside centre$3,448.79—
—
💰Finance2 items
Average monthly net salary$1,428.77$396.94
72%
Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$25$26
4%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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