Moving to Zambia from Afghanistan

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Afghanistan to Zambia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Zambia, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lusaka averages 80°F vs 67°F in Kabul, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Afghanistan and Zambia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
4.0
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
ZM
17.1

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
ZM
2.6

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Afghanistan leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
ZM
0.5t

Afghanistan generally does better on environment, though Zambia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
ZM
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
ZM
2.8%

Zambia performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
ZM
$3,700

Afghanistan generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
ZM
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
ZM
37.1

Zambia performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Afghanistan Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Lusaka Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
80° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Lusaka
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Lusaka
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Afghanistan and Zambia. To live, work, or study long-term in Zambia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Zambia's immigration authority.

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Afghanistan passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Zambia.
Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Zambia passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Zambia?

With 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Zambia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Afghanistan and Zambia.

Is Zambia safe for expats?

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.0 in Afghanistan.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Afghanistan?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Afghanistan leads in adult obesity rate. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF ZM
Population 38,346,720 19,642,123
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +93 +260
Time zones 1 1