Moving to Zambia from Kuwait
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Kuwait to Zambia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Kuwait to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 26.5% cheaper than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,000 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly ZMW1,080,000 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 94°F in Kuwait City, making it significantly cooler.
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 Kuwait to Zambia.
What does your salary buy?
KWD23,000 → ZMW1,080,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 26.8% less
Groceries
pay 40.5% more
Transportation
pay 15.6% more
Housing
pay 56.9% less
Childcare
pay 18.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.5% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Zambia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How Kuwait 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
Kuwait 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
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia 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
Kuwait 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
Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though Zambia leads in water stress level.
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
Kuwait 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
Kuwait performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Kuwait (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 | Kuwait City | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuwait City | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Department,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.
Kuwait passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Kuwait
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 Kuwait?
Generally yes: Zambia runs about 26% cheaper than Kuwait 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 KWD23,000 comparable salary, that's around ZMW270,000 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 Kuwait and Zambia.
Is Zambia safe for expats?
Kuwait performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Kuwait?
Kuwait generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 22.7 in Kuwait. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Kuwait?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Kuwait, the official language is Arabic.
