Moving to Zambia from South Korea

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from South Korea 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 63°F in Seoul, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Korea to Zambia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KR
0.5
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KR
6.9
ZM
17.1

South Korea performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

KR
$5,081
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KR
25.2
ZM
2.6

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia 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

KR
19.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KR
11.4t
ZM
0.5t

South Korea 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

KR
45.4
ZM
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KR
85.2%
ZM
2.8%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KR
2.6%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KR
$50,600
ZM
$3,700

South Korea 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

KR
83.0 yrs
ZM
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KR
2.9
ZM
37.1

South Korea performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Seoul Rain: 55.8 in/yr (1418 mm)
63° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Seoul Lusaka
Jan–Mar 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Seoul Lusaka
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Korea Meteorological Administration Korea Meteorological Administration, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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 Korea passport

South Korea passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Free
South Korea passport holders can enter Zambia without a visa.
Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting South Korea

Visa Required
Zambia passport holders need a visa to enter South Korea.

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?

South Korea performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to South Korea?

South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).

What's the weather like in Zambia compared to South Korea?

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.

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At a Glance

KR ZM
Population 51,844,834 19,642,123
Currency South Korean Won (₩) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Korean English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +82 +260
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112