For meals, transport, tips - whats the safe amount to carry in Zambia ? Trying to plan a daily budget for a month long trip
In June I toured Zambia with a small group. We averaged $60/day - this covered guided day trips, meals, bus travel, tips and hotel stays. Day meals cost around ZMW 100 per person, transport was about ZMW 80-150, and guides tipped ZMW 50-80. For a relaxed 30‑day trip, I’d budget $1800+, especially if you’ll do Mosi‑o‑Tunya or South Luangwa safaris. Better to overestimate than scramble to top up mid‑trip!
Raised in Lusaka last spring, I budgeted around $55/day during safari prep and city touring. Meals at mid-range restaurants run $8-12; taxis cost ~$3-5 depending on distance. Daily tip recommendation is ZMW 20-30. Accomodation averaged $25-30. For a 30‑day trip, $1600-1700 covered everything comfortably - including occasional safaris, nightlife, and local sim data plans.
For a 30‑day stint in Zambia (May-June), I planned a $45/day budget. That comfortably covered private taxis, coworking-day SIM top-ups, and decent meals. I spend ZMW 60-80 per cafe lunch, ZMW 20-30 for kombis, and tipped guides ZMW 50-100 per day. Longer bus rides cost around $5-10. Counting surprises, I kept $1500 for the trip - stashed USD too, just in case. A solid daily budget here for a month is $40-50.
Spent April in Zambia on a shoestring and got by on about $30-35 per day. Cheap street meals like nshima and chicken run ~ZMW 30; kombi minibus fares are pocket money. Shared dorms in Lusaka or Livingstone cost ZMW 150-200. Add in occasional park entry or a tipable guide, and you hit about $35 daily. If you want mid-range guesthouses or safaris, push it to $50-60. Over a month that’s roughly $900-$1800 depending on how many excursions you do.