Moving to Zambia from Mozambique

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Mozambique to Zambia, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Mozambique to Zambia, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
1,603 ↑ 40% vs 2015

people born in Mozambique live in Zambia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Zambia?

Top countries of origin for Zambia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Mozambique 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

MZ
3.6
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MZ
20.1
ZM
17.1

Mozambique generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MZ
$143
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MZ
0.8
ZM
2.6

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mozambique 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

MZ
64.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MZ
0.3t
ZM
0.5t

Mozambique generally does better on environment, though Zambia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MZ
0.2
ZM
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MZ
1.8%
ZM
2.8%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MZ
3.5%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MZ
$1,500
ZM
$3,700

Mozambique generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MZ
57.1 yrs
ZM
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MZ
61.4
ZM
37.1

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

Data: Autoridade Tributária de Moçambique, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Maputo Rain: 32.0 in/yr (814 mm)
81° / 65°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Maputo Lusaka
Jan–Mar 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/62°F (26°/17°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/60°F (25°/16°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/68°F (28°/20°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Maputo Lusaka
Jan 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.3°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.3°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 85°/71°F (29.3°/21.5°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 82°/67°F (27.8°/19.4°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 80°/62°F (26.4°/16.8°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 76°/58°F (24.6°/14.4°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 76°/58°F (24.4°/14.2°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 78°/60°F (25.3°/15.4°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.2°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 80°/65°F (26.5°/18.3°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 81°/67°F (27.4°/19.7°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.4°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mozambique 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.

Mozambique passport

Mozambique passport holder visiting Zambia

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

Zambia passport holder visiting Mozambique

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

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 Mozambique and Zambia.

Is Zambia safe for expats?

Mozambique generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.6 in Mozambique.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Mozambique?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mozambique leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 0.8 in Mozambique. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mozambique: 44).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 81°F in Maputo. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Maputo gets 32.0 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Mozambique, the official language is Portuguese.

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At a Glance

MZ ZM
Population 31,693,239 19,642,123
Currency Mozambican Metical (MZN) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Portuguese English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +258 +260
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119