Moving to Zambia from Iceland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iceland to Zambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iceland to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 73.1% cheaper than Iceland overall. A ISK9,200,000 salary in Iceland would need to be roughly ZMW403,000 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 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iceland and Zambia.
What does your salary buy?
ISK9,200,000 → ZMW403,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 80.8% less
Groceries
pay 44.6% less
Transportation
pay 58.3% less
Housing
pay 84.5% less
Childcare
pay 68.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.3% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Zambia compared to Iceland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland 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 Iceland 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
Iceland 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
Iceland performs better than Zambia across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Iceland generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in top income tax 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
Iceland performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Directorate of Internal Revenue (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 | Reykjavik | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Reykjavik | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Icelandic Meteorological Office,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.
Iceland passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Iceland
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 Iceland?
On average Zambia is about 73% less expensive than Iceland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
Budget about ZMW100,750 for 3 months in Zambia (based on a ISK9,200,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Zambia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Zambia: 0.8 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?
Iceland performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.3 in Iceland.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Iceland?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 43.7 in Iceland. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Iceland?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.
