Moving to Zambia from Canada
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Canada to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 57.3% cheaper than Canada overall. A CA$110,000 salary in Canada would need to be roughly ZMW661,000 in Zambia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lusaka averages 80°F vs 55°F in Toronto, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Zambia cheaper than Canada?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 64.1% less
Groceries
pay 26.8% less
Transportation
pay 31.9% less
Housing
pay 76.0% less
Childcare
pay 51.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.4% 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?
CA$110,000 → ZMW661,000
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?
How many people actually move from Canada to Zambia, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
24.246
Canada
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada 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 Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in unemployment 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
Canada performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
Weather in Zambia vs Canada
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Toronto | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 34°/23°F (1°/-5°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/49°F (18°/10°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/35°F (8°/2°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Toronto | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°/19°F (-1.1°/-7.3°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 32°/21°F (-0.2°/-6.3°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 40°/28°F (4.6°/-2.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 52°/39°F (11.3°/3.8°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 65°/50°F (18.5°/9.9°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.8°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.9°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 78°/63°F (25.3°/17.3°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 69°/56°F (20.7°/13.2°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.3°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 45°/36°F (7.4°/2.2°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 35°/25°F (1.8°/-3.7°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Can you move from Canada to Zambia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
Yes — Zambia is on average about 57% cheaper than Canada. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZMW165,250 in Zambia on a CA$110,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Zambia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Zambia has 0.8 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?
Canada performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.0 in Canada.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Canada?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 28.2 in Canada. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 55°F in Toronto. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Toronto gets 32.8 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
