Moving to Zambia from Australia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Australia to Zambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Australia to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 62.9% cheaper than Australia overall. A A$110,000 salary in Australia would need to be roughly ZMW566,000 in Zambia to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Zambia cheaper than Australia?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 67.6% less
Groceries
pay 29.0% less
Transportation
pay 40.4% less
Housing
pay 77.6% less
Childcare
pay 74.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 59.0% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Zambia?
What does your salary buy?
A$110,000 → ZMW566,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Zambia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Australia to Zambia.
Who's moving to Zambia?
Top countries of origin for Zambia's foreign-born residents.
- 50,661
- 31,424
- 16,816
- 13,422
- 10,460
- 9,202
- · · ·
-
21.323
Australia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Zambia compared to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Australia performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Australia generally does better on environment, though Zambia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Australia generally does better on infrastructure, though Zambia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Australia performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Australian Taxation Office (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Zambia vs Australia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sydney | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sydney | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.6°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.7°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 78°/65°F (25.4°/18.1°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 74°/60°F (23.3°/15.3°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 69°/54°F (20.6°/12.5°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (18.0°/9.7°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 63°/48°F (17.4°/8.7°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 66°/49°F (18.9°/9.7°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.0°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 73°/58°F (22.8°/14.4°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 75°/61°F (23.8°/16.3°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 78°/65°F (25.5°/18.3°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Bureau of Meteorology,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Can you move from Australia to Zambia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Australia 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.
Australia passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Australia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Zambia than Australia?
On average Zambia is about 63% less expensive than Australia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
Budget about ZMW141,500 for 3 months in Zambia (based on a A$110,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Zambia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Zambia: 0.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Zambia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Zambia safe for expats?
Australia performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Australia.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Australia?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 40.9 in Australia. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Australia: 87).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Australia?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 72°F in Sydney. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Sydney gets 48.1 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
Both Australia and Zambia share the same official language: English.
