Moving to Zambia from Russia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Russia to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 20.0% cheaper than Russia overall. A RUB6,100,000 salary in Russia would need to be roughly ZMW1,210,000 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 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Zambia cheaper than Russia?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 39.2% less
Groceries
pay 43.0% more
Transportation
pay 4.8% more
Housing
pay 38.1% less
Childcare
pay 24.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.1% 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.
What salary do you need in Zambia?
What does your salary buy?
RUB6,100,000 → ZMW1,210,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Zambia
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Russia to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Russia generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate.
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
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Russia 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
Russia 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
share of people below the poverty line
Russia 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
Russia performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Tax Service of Russia (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Zambia vs Russia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Moscow | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Can you move from Russia to Zambia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa on Arrival
Zambia passport holder visiting Russia
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 Russia?
Yes — Zambia is on average about 20% cheaper than Russia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZMW302,500 in Zambia on a RUB6,100,000 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?
Russia generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Russia?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Russia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 51.1 in Russia. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
