Moving to Zambia from Mauritius

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Mauritius to Zambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Mauritius to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 19.2% cheaper than Mauritius overall. A MUR3,600,000 salary in Mauritius would need to be roughly ZMW1,220,000 in Zambia to maintain the same lifestyle.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Mauritius and Zambia.

What does your salary buy?

MUR3,600,000 → ZMW1,220,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 16.1% less

Groceries

pay 26.5% more

Transportation

pay 33.1% less

Housing

pay 34.9% less

Childcare

pay 59.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 7.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MUR = 0.4188 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

The numbers behind daily life in Zambia compared to Mauritius.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MU
2.3
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MU
9.7
ZM
17.1

Mauritius 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

MU
$1,566
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MU
14.4
ZM
3.2

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mauritius leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MU
28.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MU
3.5t
ZM
0.5t

Mauritius generally does better on environment, though Zambia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MU
28.0
ZM
0.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MU
23.0%
ZM
2.8%

Mauritius 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

MU
5.6%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MU
$12,991
ZM
$1,318

Mauritius performs better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MU
73.8 yrs
ZM
66.5 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MU
13.8
ZM
34.6

Mauritius performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Port Louis Rain: 28.0 in/yr (711 mm)
85° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Port Louis Lusaka
Jan–Mar 89°/75°F (31°/24°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/71°F (29°/21°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/67°F (27°/19°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/71°F (30°/22°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Port Louis Lusaka
Jan 89°/75°F (31.5°/24.1°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 89°/75°F (31.4°/24.0°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.5°/23.8°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 87°/73°F (30.7°/23.0°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 85°/71°F (29.3°/21.5°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 82°/68°F (27.6°/19.9°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 80°/67°F (26.7°/19.3°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 80°/66°F (26.8°/19.1°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 82°/67°F (27.7°/19.4°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 84°/69°F (28.8°/20.4°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.8°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 88°/74°F (31.1°/23.2°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Mauritius Meteorological Services Mauritius Meteorological Services, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mauritius 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.

Mauritius passport

Mauritius passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Free
Mauritius passport holders can enter Zambia without a visa.
Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Mauritius

Visa Free
Zambia passport holders can enter Mauritius without a visa.

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 Mauritius?

On average Zambia is about 19% less expensive than Mauritius, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Zambia?

Budget about ZMW305,000 for 3 months in Zambia (based on a MUR3,600,000 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?

Mauritius performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Mauritius.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Mauritius?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mauritius leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 14.4 in Mauritius. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mauritius: 66).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 85°F in Port Louis. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Port Louis gets 28.0 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Mauritius, the official languages are English, French and Mauritian Creole.

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At a Glance

MU ZM
Population 1,243,741 21,913,874
Currency Mauritian Rupee (MUR) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages English, French, Mauritian Creole English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +230 +260
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 —