Moving to Zambia from Indonesia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Indonesia to Zambia, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lusaka averages 80°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2015

per 100,000 people per year

ID
0.6
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ID
11.3
ZM
17.1

Indonesia 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

ID
$417
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ID
6.9
ZM
2.6

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia 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

ID
58.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ID
2.9t
ZM
0.5t

Zambia performs significantly better than Indonesia 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

ID
4.9
ZM
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ID
29.7%
ZM
2.8%

Indonesia 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

ID
3.4%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$14,100
ZM
$3,700

Indonesia 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

ID
73.1 yrs
ZM
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ID
19.7
ZM
37.1

Indonesia generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in education spending.

Data: Direktorat Jenderal Pajak, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jakarta Rain: 65.2 in/yr (1655 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jakarta Lusaka
Jan–Mar 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Jakarta Lusaka
Jan 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Indonesia 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.

Indonesia passport

Indonesia passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Indonesia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Zambia.
Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Indonesia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zambia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Indonesia.

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 Indonesia and Zambia.

Is Zambia safe for expats?

Indonesia performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Indonesia.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Indonesia?

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 6.9 in Indonesia. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.

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At a Glance

ID ZM
Population 277,329,163 19,642,123
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Indonesian English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +62 +260
Time zones 3 1
Emergency number 112