Moving to Zambia from Libya

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Libya to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Libya to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 97.2% more expensive than Libya overall. A LYD480,000 salary in Libya would need to be roughly ZMW2,930,000 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.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Libya to Zambia.

What does your salary buy?

LYD480,000 → ZMW2,930,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 94.2% more

Groceries

pay 2.3 times more

Transportation

pay 3.8 times more

Housing

pay 33.0% more

Childcare

pay 7.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.0 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 LYD = 3.09 ZMW (October 2026)

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Libya to Zambia.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LY
34.0
ZM
17.1

Zambia performs significantly better than Libya across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

LY
$1,055
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LY
20.4
ZM
3.2

Libya 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

LY
54.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LY
8.7t
ZM
0.5t

Zambia performs significantly better than Libya across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

LY
4.5
ZM
0.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LY
817.1%
ZM
2.8%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

LY
18.8%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

LY
$6,449
ZM
$1,318

Libya generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

LY
71.1 yrs
ZM
66.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LY
7.9
ZM
34.6

Libya performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2015). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tripoli Rain: 13.1 in/yr (334 mm)
78° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tripoli Lusaka
Jan–Mar 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 81°/62°F (27°/17°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 74°/57°F (23°/14°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Tripoli Lusaka
Jan 64°/48°F (17.9°/8.9°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.5°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 69°/52°F (20.7°/11.2°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 75°/57°F (23.7°/13.7°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.7°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 87°/68°F (30.4°/20.1°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 89°/71°F (31.7°/21.7°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 91°/73°F (32.6°/22.7°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 88°/71°F (31.0°/21.4°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 82°/64°F (27.7°/18.0°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 67°/50°F (19.3°/9.9°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Libya 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.

Libya passport

Libya passport holder visiting Zambia

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

Zambia passport holder visiting Libya

Visa Required
Zambia passport holders need a visa to enter Libya.

Data: 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 Libya?

No — Zambia is on average about 97% more expensive than Libya. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Zambia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZMW732,500 in Zambia on a LYD480,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Zambia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Zambia has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Zambia safe for expats?

Zambia performs significantly better than Libya across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Libya?

Libya 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 20.4 in Libya. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Libya: 62).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 78°F in Tripoli. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Tripoli gets 13.1 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Libya, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

LY ZM
Population 7,458,555 21,913,874
Currency Libyan Dinar (LYD) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Arabic English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +218 +260
Time zones 1 1