Moving to Zambia from Norway

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Norway to Zambia, 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 49°F in Oslo, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

NO
0.6
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NO
1.5
ZM
17.1

Norway 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

NO
$9,523
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NO
51.7
ZM
2.6

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway 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

NO
8.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NO
7.2t
ZM
0.5t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NO
45.9
ZM
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NO
2.0%
ZM
2.8%

Norway performs better than Zambia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NO
3.6%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NO
$90,500
ZM
$3,700

Norway generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NO
82.5 yrs
ZM
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NO
2.3
ZM
37.1

Norway performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

Data: Norwegian Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Oslo Rain: 30.0 in/yr (763 mm)
49° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Oslo Lusaka
Jan–Mar 32°/22°F (0°/-6°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/43°F (15°/6°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/51°F (19°/10°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/30°F (4°/-1°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Oslo Lusaka
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.8°/-6.8°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 30°/20°F (-0.9°/-6.8°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 38°/26°F (3.5°/-3.3°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.8°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 60°/44°F (15.8°/6.5°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 69°/51°F (20.4°/10.6°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.2°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 68°/52°F (20.1°/11.3°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.5°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 49°/39°F (9.3°/3.8°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.5°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 31°/22°F (-0.5°/-5.6°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Norwegian Meteorological Institute Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Norway 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.

Norway passport

Norway passport holder visiting Zambia

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

Zambia passport holder visiting Norway

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

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Zambia has 0.4 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?

Norway 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 Norway.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Norway?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Norway leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 51.7 in Norway. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Norway: 87).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 49°F in Oslo. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Oslo gets 30.0 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Norway, the official languages are Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Sami.

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At a Glance

NO ZM
Population 5,553,840 19,642,123
Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, Sami English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +47 +260
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112