Cost of Living: New York vs Zambia (Lusaka)
How expensive is Zambia compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and ZMW — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Lusaka
- Price level vs US average
- 33.2 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 25.3 ZMW
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 8.393 ZMW
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Zambia’s national average. Major cities — especially Lusaka — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zambia cheaper than New York?
Yes. Zambia is 71% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 29, New York = 100).
What salary in Zambia equals $100,000 in New York?
About $29,498 a year (about ZMW 745,585 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Zambia as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Lusaka more expensive than Zambia’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Zambia’s national average price level; large cities such as Lusaka typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.