Moving to Zambia from Syria
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Syria to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Syria to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 33.5% more expensive than Syria overall. A SYP980,000,000 salary in Syria would need to be roughly ZMW2,000,000 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Syria to Zambia.
What does your salary buy?
SYP980,000,000 → ZMW2,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 19.0% less
Groceries
pay 85.5% more
Transportation
pay 16.4% more
Housing
pay 29.0% more
Childcare
pay 4.9 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.3% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Syria to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Syria 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
Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in adult obesity rate.
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 Syria 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
Syria 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
Zambia generally does better on employment & economy, though Syria 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Syria performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Syria (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 | Damascus | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Damascus | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.
Syria passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zambia passport holder visiting Syria
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 Syria?
No — Zambia is on average about 34% more expensive than Syria. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZMW500,000 in Zambia on a SYP980,000,000 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?
Syria 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 2.1 in Syria.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Syria?
Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in adult obesity rate. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 15.2 in Syria. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Syria?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Syria, the official language is Arabic.
