Livingstone vs Kitwe: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?

Livingstone is a small town of 33 thousand people that lives off Victoria Falls traffic, and the numbers show it: a $30 three-course dinner for two and $5 cappuccinos sit awkwardly against a $450/mo average net salary and $475/mo city-center rent, so anyone earning locally is priced out of the expat lifestyle. The retiree score of 61/100 and safety index of 60/100 with a crime index of 40/100 make it a reasonable, if unremarkable, base, and the 5 km hop to LVI keeps weekend escapes cheap. Digital nomads should look elsewhere: a 55/100 score, 30 Mbps internet, and English that is only common in tourist areas will frustrate anyone who needs reliable work infrastructure. Come for the falls and the arid climate, not for the economy.

Kitwe is a genuinely cheap place to live, with a cost of living index of 38/100 and a budget single adult getting by on $900/mo, but the local average net salary of $450/mo tells you the economy is not built for outsiders earning local wages. The housing market is split in a way that should make you think twice: a one-bedroom outside the center runs $300/mo, while a three-bedroom in the center jumps to $2,500/mo, so where you land matters more than the headline numbers suggest. Add a small expat community, limited English proficiency, 10 Mbps internet, and an air quality index of 72, and Kitwe suits budget-focused expats in Nkana East or Riverside who can tolerate the trade-offs, not digital nomads or retirees chasing comfort.