Moving to Zambia from Costa Rica
What to Expect
Considering a move from Costa Rica to Zambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Zambia, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Zambia compared to Costa Rica.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate.
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 Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica 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
Costa Rica 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Costa Rica performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, 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 | San Jose | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Costa Rica
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Zambia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Zambia: 0.4 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?
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Costa Rica?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Costa Rica, the official language is Spanish.
