Moving to Croatia from Zambia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Zambia to Croatia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Zambia to Croatia, you would find that Croatia is 74.4% more expensive than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly HRK885,000 in Croatia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Croatian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Zagreb averages 60°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Zambia and Croatia.

What does your salary buy?

ZMW1,500,000 → HRK885,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Croatia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.5 times more

Groceries

pay 8.0% less

Transportation

pay 51.1% more

Housing

pay 2.5 times more

Childcare

pay 13.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 41.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ZMW = 0.3384 HRK (October 2026)

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 Croatia.

Living there in 2020
42 ↓ 9% vs 2015

people born in Zambia live in Croatia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Croatia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Croatia compared to Zambia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
5.2
HR
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
17.1
HR
8.1

Croatia 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
HR
$3,229
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZM
3.2
HR
39.1

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia 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
HR
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZM
0.5t
HR
4.8t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZM
0.8
HR
29.6
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZM
2.8%
HR
1.5%

Croatia performs significantly better than Zambia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ZM
5.9%
HR
5.0%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZM
$1,318
HR
$27,104

Croatia generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ZM
66.5 yrs
HR
78.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZM
34.6
HR
4.1

Croatia 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), Croatia Tax Administration (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

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

Zagreb Rain: 33.7 in/yr (856 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lusaka Zagreb
Jan–Mar 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 69°/48°F (21°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) 50°/35°F (10°/2°C)
View all months
Month Lusaka Zagreb
Jan 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C)
Feb 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C)
Apr 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C)
Jun 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C)
Jul 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C)
Aug 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C)
Sep 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C)
Oct 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C)
Nov 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C)
Dec 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C)

Data: Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD), Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting Croatia

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

Croatia passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Free
Croatia 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

Is it cheaper to live in Croatia than Zambia?

On average Croatia is around 74% pricier than Zambia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Croatia?

Budget about HRK221,250 for 3 months in Croatia (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 Croatia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Croatia: 29.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Croatia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Croatia safe for expats?

Croatia performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Croatia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.

How is healthcare in Croatia compared to Zambia?

Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 39.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Croatia, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Croatia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).

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

The average high temperature in Zagreb is 60°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Zagreb receives around 33.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in Croatia?

The official language in Croatia is Croatian. In Zambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

ZM HR
Population 21,913,874 3,876,200
Currency Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) Croatian Kuna (HRK)
Languages English Croatian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +260 +385
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 112