Moving to Canada from Zambia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zambia to Canada? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zambia to Canada, you would find that Canada is 2.3 times more expensive than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly CA$252,000 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Zambia and Canada.
What does your salary buy?
ZMW1,500,000 → CA$252,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 36.6% more
Transportation
pay 46.9% more
Housing
pay 4.2 times more
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 76.8% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Zambia to Canada.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
127.3,999
Zambia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Canada compared to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada performs significantly 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
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada 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
Zambia generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Canada 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
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in unemployment 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
Canada performs significantly better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), The World Factbook (2008). 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 | Lusaka | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Zambia passport holder visiting Canada
Visa Required
Canada passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than Zambia?
On average Canada is around 134% pricier than Zambia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Budget about CA$63,000 for 3 months in Canada (based on a ZMW1,500,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Connectivity is usually fine (Canada: 42.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Canada offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Canada safe for expats?
Canada performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Zambia?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 28.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Zambia, the official language is English.
