Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Lusaka vs Nairobi

Lusaka vs Nairobi

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lusaka 17% cheaper Moderate / Moderate

Lusaka

Vije Vijendranath/Unsplash

Nairobi

Amani Nation/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,367

Lusaka

$1,639

Nairobi

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Lusaka

Moderate

Nairobi

Air Quality

5/5

Lusaka

5/5

Nairobi

Healthcare

High

Lusaka

High

Nairobi

Population

1.7m

Lusaka

3.1m

Nairobi

Lusaka (Zambia) and Nairobi (Kenya) 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 cost difference is noticeable: Lusaka at $1367/mo is 17% cheaper than Nairobi at $1639/mo, worth considering for extended stays.

For families, Lusaka costs $806.9391088542649/mo compared to Nairobi's $1876.601222102749/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Remote workers will appreciate Lusaka's 20 Mbps (global #167) — considerably faster than Nairobi's 15 Mbps (#178).

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Lusaka and Nairobi.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lusaka is April (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 402), while Nairobi peaks in June (25 degrees, 0mm rain, score 433). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LusakaNairobi

Nomad$1,367/mo$1,639/mo

Expat$530/mo$870/mo

Local$231/mo$536/mo

Family$807/mo$1,877/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LusakaNairobi

City Speed

20 Mbps#167

15 Mbps#178

Country Speed22 Mbps14 Mbps

Environment & Health

LusakaNairobi

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateN/AHigh

Humidity8976

Quality of Life

LusakaNairobi

SafetyModerateModerate

HealthcareHighHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lusaka

Nairobi

Jan

29°

3mm309

27°

2mm371

Feb

32°

0mm389

29°

0mm420

Mar

29°

1mm378

29°

0mm418

Apr

27°

0mm402

28°

4mm269

May

24°

0mm402

27°

2mm351

Jun

20°

0mm382

25°

0mm433

Jul

24°

0mm402

25°

0mm430

Aug

25°

0mm402

24°

0mm418

Sep

29°

0mm402

27°

0mm420

Oct

31°

0mm402

27°

0mm409

Nov

32°

1mm378

26°

2mm423

Dec

33°

0mm387

26°

1mm351

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

Who Should Choose Nairobi?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1876.601222102749/mo for families
Major city energy with 3.1m residents
Peak season in June — 25 degrees, score 433

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Lusaka is the stronger pick. At $1367/mo it beats Nairobi's $1639/mo by 17%, and the 20 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Lusaka Nairobi

ItemLusakaNairobiDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3$4.28

30%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$18.37$32.61

44%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.17$5.91

46%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.81$2.25

20%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.22$2.04

40%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.5$2.85

47%

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.88$0.54

39%

Water (0.33L)$0.47$0.45

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.34$0.96

28%

White bread (500g)$0.95$0.52

45%

White rice (1kg)$2$1.55

22%

Eggs (12)$1.73$1.39

20%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.18$5.88

29%

Beef round (1kg)$5.3$4.62

13%

Local cheese (1kg)$9.11$11.6

21%

Apples (1kg)$2.48$2.33

Bananas (1kg)$1.49$0.91

39%

Oranges (1kg)$2.51$1.8

28%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.16$0.95

18%

Potatoes (1kg)$1.23$0.91

26%

Onions (1kg)$1.59$0.98

38%

Lettuce (1 head)$1.22$0.63

48%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.98$0.76

22%

Wine, mid-range bottle$4.9$11.41

57%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.99$1.96

49%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.26$2.42

48%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$2.66$2.45

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$1.24$0.82

34%

Monthly transport pass$30.62$32.61

Taxi start (normal tariff)$3$2.24

25%

Taxi per 1km$0.62$1.11

44%

Taxi 1hr waiting$9.19$2.69

71%

Gasoline (1L)$1.36$1.18

13%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$8,593.28$16,714.23

49%

Toyota Corolla (new)$6,444.46$17,539.05

63%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$140.69$28.18

80%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$103.74$52.18

50%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.07$0.03

57%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$23.82$47.67

50%

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$4.78$16.71

71%

Cinema, 1 ticket$2$6.52

69%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$171.24$164.71

International primary school/yr$14,061.39$9,590.3

32%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$12.66$17.25

27%

Summer dress (chain store)$31.12$24.38

22%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$90.18$45.14

50%

Men's leather business shoes$105.64$43.87

58%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$262.01$414.88

37%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$168.4$183.21

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$832.64$979.8

15%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$439.96$423.08

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$10,763.91$1,415.61

87%

Price per m², outside centre—$613.08

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$396.94$455.52

13%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$26$12.53

52%

Lower is better for all cost items.

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

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