Moving to Iowa from Zambia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Zambia to Iowa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Zambia to Iowa. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Zambia to Iowa, based on official data.
people moved from Zambia to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
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108.36,122
Zambia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Zambia to Iowa.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Zambia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa performs significantly better than Zambia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Iowa performs significantly better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa performs significantly better than Zambia across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lusaka | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Zambia passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Iowa?
Usually fine from major cities in Iowa. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Zambia?
Zambia performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
Both Zambia and Iowa share the same official language: English.
