JCTR BASIC NEEDS BASKET
	Choma	September	2019
(A) COST OF BASIC FOOD ITEMS FOR A FAMILY OF FIVE
	Commodity	Price (ZMW)	/ Unit	Quantity / Month	Total (ZMW)
	Mealie Meal (Roller)	117.50	25 kg bag	2 x 25Kg	235.00
	Rice	76.88	5kg	4kg	61.50
	Cassava Flour	12.50	1kg	6kg	75.00
	(Sweet) Potatoes	7.17	1 Kg	4 Kg	28.68
	Beans	22.94	1kg	3kg	68.81
	Pounded Groundnut	38.60	1kg	1kg	38.60
	Soya Pieces	27.22	1 kg	2kg	54.43
	Beef	32.75	1kg	2kg	65.50
	Chicken	44.68	2kg	5kg	111.70
	Kapenta	125.75	1kg	1kg	125.75
	Eggs	10.17	1 unit (10 eggs)	3 Trays (90 eggs)	91.50
	Milk (Fresh)	7.75	500 ml	10 liters	155.00
	Vegetables	194.90	40 Kg	40kg	194.90
	Onion	8.98	1 Kg	4 Kg	35.91
	Tomatoes	6.90	1 kg	6 kg	41.40
	Banana	9.72	1 Kg	16 Kg	155.59
	Other Fruits	16.31	1 kg	14 Kg	228.31
	Cooking oil (2.5lts)	61.00	2.5lt	3.6lt	87.84
	Salt	6.25	1 Kg	1 Kg	6.25
	Tea	32.25	250g	250g	32.25
Subtotal	ZMW 1,893.93
(B) COST OF ESSENTIAL NON-FOOD ITEMS
	Commodity	Price (ZMW)	/ Unit	Quantity / Month	Total (ZMW)
	Charcoal	96.00	90kg bag(s)	2	90kg bag(s)	192.00
	Soap (Lifebuoy/Champion)	8.38	Tablet(s)	3	Tablet(s)	25.13
	Wash soap (BOOM)	10.50	400g	4	400g	42.00
	Jelly (Vaseline)	20.00	500g	1	500g	20.00
	Jelly (Vaseline)	21.00	500ml	1	500ml	21.00
	Electricity (medium density)	478.00	Month(s)	1	Month(s)	478.00
	Water & Sanitation (med - fixed)	180.00	Month(s)	1	Month(s)	180.00
	Housing (3 bedroom)	1,500.00	Month(s)	1	Month(s)	1,500.00
	Sanitary towels	13.63	Pack of 10	2	Pack of 10	27.25
	Toilet Paper (2ply)	3.25	Tissue(s)	6	Tissue(s)	19.50
	Lotion (Dawn)	18.75	250ml	1	250ml	18.75
	Subtotal	ZMW 2,523.63
	Total for Basic Needs Basket	ZMW 4,417.55
(C) SOME OTHER ADDITIONAL COSTS
Education	Transport (bus fare round trip)
	Item	Amount (ZMW)	Item	Amount (ZMW)
	Grades 1-7 (User + PTA/year)	600.00	Kalukungu-Town	20.00
	Grades 8-9 (User + PTA/year)	600.00	Macha Road-Town	14.00
	School Uniform (Grades 1-7)	132.00
	School Uniform (Grades 8-12)	300.00
Health	Fuel (cost at the pump)
	Item	Amount (ZMW)	Item	Amount (ZMW)
	Fast Track / High Cost fee	100.00	Petrol (per litre)	15.98
	Mosquito net (private)	60.00	Diesel (per litre)	14.23
	Malaria test	40.00	Paraffin (per litre)	13.02
	Consultation Fee	100.00
	CD4 Count	77.00
(D) A COMPARISON OF COSTS (IN KWACHA) OF BASIC NEEDS ACROSS ZAMBIA
Lusaka	Kasama	Mansa	Mongu	Ndola	Solwezi	Monze	Chipata	Mpika	Luanshya	Kitwe	Kabwe	Livingstone	Choma	Chinsali	
Mazabuka	
6,327	4,044	3,929	3,959	6,208	5,570	4,721	5,302	3,927	4,970	4,457	5,871	5,317	4,418	4,621.23	4,565	

Compositions of vegetables and fruits
Computation of vegetables consists of: Pumpkin leaves (9.8kg), Bondwe (2.8kg), Cabbage (18.5kg) and Rape (8.9kg).
Computation of fruits is from these varieties: Bananas, Mangos, Apples and Oranges. 

This survey was conducted on 27th September, 2019 by the Social and Economic Development Programme of the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection.  Average prices were calculated on the basis of surveys conducted at spar, macha road, makalanguzu and kalukungu. The September Basic Needs Basket is approximately US$340 based upon the exchange rate of K13 per US$ prevailing on the days of data collection.  Please note that other monthly costs would include personal care, clothing, recreation, etc. 

	Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, P.O. Box 37774, 10101 Lusaka, Zambia
	Tel: 260-211-290-410 Fax: 260-211-290-759 E-mail: jctr.sed@gmail.com Website: www.jctr.org.zm 
	Location: 3813 Martin Mwamba Road, Olympia Park, Lusaka