Moving to Zambia from South Africa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Africa to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Africa to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 24.3% cheaper than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,200,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly ZMW1,100,000 in Zambia to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Zambia cheaper than South Africa?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 37.6% less
Groceries
pay 27.7% more
Transportation
pay 35.4% less
Housing
pay 42.2% less
Childcare
pay 53.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.3% more
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?
ZAR1,200,000 → ZMW1,100,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Zambia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from South Africa to Zambia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Zambia?
Top countries of origin for Zambia's foreign-born residents.
- 50,661
- 31,424
- 16,816
- 13,422
- 10,460
- 9,202
- · · ·
-
10.3,788
South Africa
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Africa to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Zambia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
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 South Africa 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
South Africa 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
South Africa 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
South Africa generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in unemployment rate.
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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), South African Revenue Service (2017), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Zambia vs South Africa
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Johannesburg | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/45°F (19°/7°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 67°/44°F (20°/7°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Johannesburg | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/58°F (25.6°/14.7°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 77°/57°F (25.1°/14.1°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.0°/13.1°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.3°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 66°/45°F (18.9°/7.2°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 61°/39°F (16.0°/4.1°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 62°/39°F (16.7°/4.1°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 67°/43°F (19.4°/6.2°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 73°/49°F (22.8°/9.3°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 75°/52°F (23.8°/11.2°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 76°/55°F (24.2°/12.7°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 77°/57°F (25.2°/13.9°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Can you move from South Africa to Zambia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: 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 South Africa?
Yes — Zambia is on average about 24% cheaper than South Africa. 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 ZMW275,000 in Zambia on a ZAR1,200,000 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?
Zambia performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 43.7 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to South Africa?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 7.9 in South Africa. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 71°F in Johannesburg. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Johannesburg gets 28.1 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Zambia
At a Glance
ZA
|
ZM
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,747,319 | 21,913,874 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | English |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +27 | +260 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | — |