Moving to Benin from Zambia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zambia to Benin, and you’d need to navigate life in French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
17.1
BJ
24.8

Zambia performs better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZM
$244
BJ
$138
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZM
2.6
BJ
2.0

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZM
50.0
BJ
77.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZM
0.5t
BJ
0.5t

Zambia performs better than Benin across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZM
0.4
BJ
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZM
2.8%
BJ
1.0%

Zambia generally does better on infrastructure, though Benin 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%
BJ
1.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZM
$3,700
BJ
$3,800

Benin performs significantly better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZM
66.3 yrs
BJ
62.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZM
37.1
BJ
55.8

Zambia performs better than Benin across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

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

Porto-novo Rain: 47.0 in/yr (1194 mm)
None° / None°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lusaka Porto-novo
Jan–Mar 80°/62°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/64°F (29°/18°C)
View all months
Month Lusaka Porto-novo
Jan 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C)
Feb 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C)
Apr 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C)
Jun 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C)
Jul 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C)
Aug 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C)
Sep 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C)
Oct 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C)
Nov 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C)
Dec 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C)

Data: Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD), Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN) Agence Nationale de la Meteorologie (METEO BENIN)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Benin

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

Benin passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Benin passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Zambia.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Benin?

With 0.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Benin 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 Benin.

Is Benin safe for expats?

Zambia performs better than Benin across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Benin compared to Zambia?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Benin leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Benin, compared to 2.6 in Zambia. Benin scores 38 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).

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

The average high temperature in Porto-novo is None°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Porto-novo receives around 47.0 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Benin?

The official language in Benin is French. In Zambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

ZM BJ
Population 19,642,123 13,754,688
Currency Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English French
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +260 +229
Time zones 1 1