Lusaka vs Maun
for digital nomads
Under balanced weights Maun edges it, 52 to 47, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Lusaka is stronger on nothing outright; Maun on quality of life, air quality. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.
Zambia's fast-growing capital and gateway to the Zambezi
Full Lusaka profile →Where to stay in Lusaka →Gateway town to the Okavango Delta, dusty and expedition-minded
Full Maun profile →Where to stay in Maun →Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)
| Metric | Lusaka | Maun |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | no data | no data |
| Safety | 54 | 59 ✓ |
| Healthcare | 42 ✓ | 41 |
| Internet | 35 | 36 ✓ |
| Visa ease | 46 | 46 |
| Getting there & around | 29 ✓ | 27 |
| Climate | 83 ✓ | 75 |
| Air quality | 68 | 82 ✓ |
| Quality of life | 22 | 50 ✓ |
Cost
| Metric | Lusaka | Maun |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost, one personcountry-level estimate for at least one city | no data | no data |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data |
Safety and health (country-level)
| Metric | Lusaka | Maun |
|---|---|---|
| Homicides per 100k | 5.9 ✓ | 12.98 |
| Political stability (0–100) | 64.6 | 84.5 ✓ |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 62 ✓ | 60 |
| Life expectancy | 61 yrs | 61.2 yrs ✓ |
Internet (M-Lab measured medians)
| Metric | Lusaka | Maun |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 6.2 Mbps ✓ | 5.2 Mbps |
| Upload | 1.8 Mbps | 5.1 Mbps ✓ |
Visa
| Metric | Lusaka | Maun |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data |
| Entry, US passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, EU passport | 90 days | 90 days |
| Entry, UK passport | 90 days | 90 days |
Getting there and around
| Metric | Lusaka | Maun |
|---|---|---|
| Non-stop airport destinations | 19 ✓ | 9 |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 ✓ |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 1 |
Climate and air
| Metric | Lusaka | Maun |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable months per year | 10 ✓ | 9 |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 19.5 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ ✓ |
✓ marks the better value in each row; ties and missing data are left unmarked.
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper, Lusaka or Maun?
- We lack a monthly cost figure for one of the two cities.
- Is Lusaka or Maun safer?
- Maun scores higher on safety (59 vs 54), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.
- Where is the internet faster, Lusaka or Maun?
- Lusaka: a measured median of 6.2 Mbps versus 5.2 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).
More comparisons
Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map. Dataset 2026.10.7. See each city page for per-metric footnotes and the methodology.