Moving to Zambia from Ghana
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 would find that Zambia is 5.4% cheaper than Ghana overall. A GHS880,000 salary in Ghana would need to be roughly ZMW1,410,000 in Zambia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Ghana to Zambia.
What does your salary buy?
GHS880,000 → ZMW1,410,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 28.5% less
Groceries
pay 1.5% less
Transportation
pay 21.2% more
Housing
pay 12.2% less
Childcare
pay 15.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.3% 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.
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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.
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
- · · ·
-
25.214
Ghana
Key Indicator Comparison
How Ghana and Zambia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Ghana generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Ghana 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
Zambia performs significantly better than Ghana across all environment metrics.
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 Ghana leads in internet access.
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
Ghana performs better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Ghana generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ghana Revenue Authority (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
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,
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 holder visiting Zambia
Visa on Arrival
Zambia passport holder visiting Ghana
Visa FreeData: 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 Ghana?
Generally yes: Zambia runs about 5% cheaper than Ghana on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a GHS880,000 comparable salary, that's around ZMW352,500 in Zambia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Zambia?
With 0.8 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 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 2.7 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.
