Moving to Zambia from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Zambia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Zambia, you would find that Zambia is 65.2% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly ZMW518,000 in Zambia to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lusaka averages 80°F vs 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Zambia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ZMW518,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zambia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 69.3% less
Groceries
pay 35.6% less
Transportation
pay 35.4% less
Housing
pay 82.2% less
Childcare
pay 74.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 52.9% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Zambia, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
14.1,169
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Zambia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate.
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 United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
United States performs better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2010). 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 | Washington | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting United States
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 United States?
Generally yes: Zambia runs about 65% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Zambia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around ZMW129,500 in Zambia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Zambia?
With 0.8 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 United States and Zambia.
Is Zambia safe for expats?
United States generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to United States?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 36.8 in United States. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
Both United States and Zambia share the same official language: English.
