Reference Value Report: Living Wage Report and 2025 Update for Rural Zambia
This report updates the Anker Living Wage Reference Value for rural Zambia to reflect conditions in 2025. The original estimate, calculated in 2022, was ZMK 2,483. The updated value incorporates the cumulative inflation rate from June 2022 to June 2025 (44.3%), resulting in a 2025 reference value of ZMK 3,583 (USD 146). This amount includes a net living wage of ZMK 3,368 (USD 137) and contributions for social security and health insurance totalling ZMK 215 (USD 9). Workers earning a living wage in Zambia are exempt from income tax. Without adjusting for inflation, the 2022 estimate would no longer be adequate to ensure a basic but decent standard of living for workers and their families in 2025, due to the erosion of purchasing.
2025 Reference Value Update Report: Living Wage Report for Rural Zambia
Abstract
This report updates the Anker Living Wage Reference Value for rural Zambia to reflect conditions in 2025. The original estimate, calculated in 2022, was ZMK 2,483. The updated value incorporates the cumulative inflation rate from June 2022 to June 2025 (44.3%), resulting in a 2025 reference value of ZMK 3,583 (USD 146). This amount includes a net living wage of ZMK 3,368 (USD 137) and contributions for social security and health insurance totalling ZMK 215 (USD 9). Workers earning a living wage in Zambia are exempt from income tax. Without adjusting for inflation, the 2022 estimate would no longer be adequate to ensure a basic but decent standard of living for workers and their families in 2025, due to the erosion of purchasing.
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Original Report
2022 Reference Value Report: Living Wage Report for Rural Zambia
Abstract
This report provides estimates of living wages for typical rural areas of Zambia. The report uses statistical regressions of available data from household surveys and available Anker Living Wage and Living Income Benchmarks to estimate living wages for rural Zambia. This estimate is presented alongside additional socio-economic-demographic data to contextualize the results.
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