Moving to Zambia from Switzerland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Switzerland to Zambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Switzerland to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 73.8% cheaper than Switzerland overall. A CHF62,000 salary in Switzerland would need to be roughly ZMW395,000 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 55°F in Zurich, 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 Switzerland?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 81.5% less
Groceries
pay 42.2% less
Transportation
pay 62.5% less
Housing
pay 83.9% less
Childcare
pay 83.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.7% 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?
CHF62,000 → ZMW395,000
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
The numbers behind daily life in Zambia compared to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs better than Zambia 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland 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
Switzerland generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in top income tax 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
Switzerland performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Swiss Federal Tax Administration (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Zambia vs Switzerland
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Zurich | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Zurich | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Can you move from Switzerland to Zambia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Switzerland 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.
Switzerland passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Switzerland
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 Switzerland?
On average Zambia is about 74% less expensive than Switzerland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
Budget about ZMW98,750 for 3 months in Zambia (based on a CHF62,000 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?
Switzerland performs better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Switzerland.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Switzerland?
Switzerland 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 44.8 in Switzerland. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Switzerland: 86).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Switzerland?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 55°F in Zurich. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Zurich gets 42.8 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Switzerland, the official languages are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German.
