Moving to Zambia from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Zambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 32.3% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR280,000 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly ZMW1,000,000 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 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Zambia.
What does your salary buy?
SAR280,000 → ZMW1,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 17.9% less
Groceries
pay 19.1% more
Transportation
pay 17.2% less
Housing
pay 54.1% less
Childcare
pay 20.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 44.2% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Zambia compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Zambia performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
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
Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Department of Zakat and Income Tax (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Riyadh | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia?
On average Zambia is about 32% less expensive than Saudi Arabia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
Budget about ZMW250,000 for 3 months in Zambia (based on a SAR280,000 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?
Saudi Arabia 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 0.9 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia 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 34.1 in Saudi Arabia. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
