Moving to Zambia from Burkina Faso
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Burkina Faso to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Burkina Faso 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 95°F in Ouagadougou, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Burkina Faso to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Zambia performs significantly better than Burkina Faso 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 Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Burkina Faso generally does better on environment, though Zambia leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Zambia generally does better on infrastructure, though Burkina Faso leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Burkina Faso generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in gdp per capita.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Zambia generally does better on family life, though Burkina Faso leads in education spending.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ouagadougou | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ouagadougou | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burkina Faso 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.
Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zambia passport holder visiting Burkina Faso
Visa Online (e-Visa)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?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Zambia has 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Zambia safe for expats?
Zambia performs significantly better than Burkina Faso across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Burkina Faso?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burkina Faso leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 1.5 in Burkina Faso. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burkina Faso: 40).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Burkina Faso?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 95°F in Ouagadougou. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Ouagadougou gets 29.3 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Burkina Faso, the official language is French.
