Moving to Zambia from Spain

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Spain to Zambia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Spain 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 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Spain and Zambia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ES
0.7
ZM
5.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ES
3.5
ZM
17.1

Spain 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

ES
$4,935
ZM
$244
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
ZM
2.6

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain 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

ES
10.0
ZM
50.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
ZM
0.5t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
ZM
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
ZM
2.8%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
ZM
5.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
ZM
$3,700

Spain generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ES
82.5 yrs
ZM
66.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
ZM
37.1

Spain performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid Lusaka
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Madrid Lusaka
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Zambia

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

Zambia passport holder visiting Spain

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

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?

With 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Zambia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Spain and Zambia.

Is Zambia safe for expats?

Spain performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.

How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Spain?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in Zambia?

The official language in Zambia is English. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES ZM
Population 47,163,418 19,642,123
Currency Euro (€) Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +34 +260
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112