Moving to Zambia from Croatia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Croatia to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Croatia to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 42.7% cheaper than Croatia overall. A HRK500,000 salary in Croatia would need to be roughly ZMW847,000 in Zambia to maintain the same lifestyle, 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 60°F in Zagreb, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Croatia to Zambia.

What does your salary buy?

HRK500,000 → ZMW847,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 60.1% less

Groceries

pay 8.7% more

Transportation

pay 33.8% less

Housing

pay 60.7% less

Childcare

pay 12.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 29.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 HRK = 2.96 ZMW (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Croatia to Zambia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

HR
0.7
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

HR
8.1
ZM
17.1

Croatia performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

HR
$3,229
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

HR
39.1
ZM
3.2

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

HR
31.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HR
4.8t
ZM
0.5t

Croatia generally does better on environment, though Zambia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

HR
29.6
ZM
0.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HR
1.5%
ZM
2.8%

Croatia performs better than Zambia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

HR
5.0%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

HR
$27,104
ZM
$1,318

Croatia generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

HR
78.9 yrs
ZM
66.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HR
4.1
ZM
34.6

Croatia performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Croatia Tax Administration (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Zagreb Rain: 33.7 in/yr (856 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Zagreb Lusaka
Jan–Mar 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/48°F (21°/9°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/35°F (10°/2°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Zagreb Lusaka
Jan 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Croatia 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.

Croatia passport

Croatia passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Free
Croatia passport holders can enter Zambia without a visa.
Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Croatia

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

Data: 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 Croatia?

Yes — Zambia is on average about 43% cheaper than Croatia. 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 ZMW211,750 in Zambia on a HRK500,000 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?

Croatia performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Croatia.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Croatia?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 39.1 in Croatia. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Croatia: 80).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 60°F in Zagreb. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Zagreb gets 33.7 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Croatia, the official language is Croatian.

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At a Glance

HR ZM
Population 3,876,200 21,913,874
Currency Croatian Kuna (HRK) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Croatian English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +385 +260
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 —