Moving to Zambia from Ghana

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ghana to Zambia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Ghana to Zambia. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Ghana to Zambia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
214 ↑ 39% vs 2015

people born in Ghana live in Zambia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Zambia?

Top countries of origin for Zambia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Ghana and Zambia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GH
1.8
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GH
25.9
ZM
17.1

Ghana generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GH
$234
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GH
1.4
ZM
2.6

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GH
89.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GH
0.7t
ZM
0.5t

Zambia performs significantly better than Ghana across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GH
0.6
ZM
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GH
6.3%
ZM
2.8%

Ghana generally does better on infrastructure, though Zambia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GH
3.1%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GH
$6,700
ZM
$3,700

Ghana performs better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GH
69.4 yrs
ZM
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GH
32.6
ZM
37.1

Ghana generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in literacy rate.

Data: Ghana Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Accra Rain: 29.2 in/yr (741 mm)
88° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Accra Lusaka
Jan–Mar 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Accra Lusaka
Jan 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Ghana Meteorological Agency Ghana Meteorological Agency, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ghana 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.

Ghana passport

Ghana passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa on Arrival
Ghana passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Zambia.
Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Ghana

Visa Free
Zambia passport holders can enter Ghana without a 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?

With 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Zambia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Ghana and Zambia.

Is Zambia safe for expats?

Ghana generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Ghana.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Ghana?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ghana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 1.4 in Ghana. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ghana: 48).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 88°F in Accra. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Accra gets 29.2 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

Both Ghana and Zambia share the same official language: English.

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At a Glance

GH ZM
Population 33,107,275 19,642,123
Currency Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages English English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +233 +260
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112