Moving to Australia from Zambia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zambia to Australia. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Zambia to Australia, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
195 ↑ 27% vs 2022

people moved from Zambia to Australia · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Australia?

Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
5.2
AU
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
17.1
AU
4.5

Australia performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZM
$244
AU
$7,691
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZM
2.6
AU
39.8

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZM
0.5t
AU
14.1t

Zambia generally does better on environment, though Australia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZM
0.4
AU
35.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZM
2.8%
AU
4.6%

Australia 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

ZM
5.9%
AU
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZM
$3,700
AU
$59,500

Australia 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

ZM
66.3 yrs
AU
83.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZM
37.1
AU
3.0

Australia performs significantly better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zambia Revenue Authority

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Canberra Rain: 24.8 in/yr (629 mm)
67° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lusaka Canberra
Jan–Mar 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) 80°/54°F (26°/12°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 61°/39°F (16°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) 56°/35°F (13°/1°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) 73°/47°F (23°/9°C)
View all months
Month Lusaka Canberra
Jan 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C)
Feb 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C)
Apr 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C)
Jun 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Jul 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C)
Aug 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C)
Sep 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C)
Oct 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C)
Nov 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C)
Dec 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C)

Data: Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD), Bureau of Meteorology Bureau of Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.

Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Australia

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

Australia passport holder visiting Zambia

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Australia?

With 35.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Australia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Zambia and Australia.

Is Australia safe for expats?

Australia performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.

How is healthcare in Australia compared to Zambia?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Australia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 2.6 in Zambia. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).

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

The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Australia?

Both Zambia and Australia share the same official language: English.

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At a Glance

ZM AU
Population 19,642,123 26,141,369
Currency Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) Australian Dollar (A$)
Languages English English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +260 +61
Time zones 1 8
Emergency number 000