Moving to Kazakhstan from Zambia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zambia to Kazakhstan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zambia to Kazakhstan, you would find that Kazakhstan is 7.5% more expensive than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly KZT36,900,000 in Kazakhstan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Kazakh and Russian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Astana averages 46°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Zambia and Kazakhstan.
What does your salary buy?
ZMW1,500,000 → KZT36,900,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Kazakhstan
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 62.7% more
Groceries
pay 31.9% less
Transportation
pay 19.2% less
Housing
pay 33.1% more
Childcare
pay 22.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.1% less
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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Kazakhstan compared to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kazakhstan 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 Kazakhstan 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 performs better than Kazakhstan across all environment metrics.
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
Kazakhstan 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
Kazakhstan performs significantly better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Kazakhstan 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), Tax Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2016), The World Factbook (2018). 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 | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 15°/-4°F (-10°/-20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 65°/41°F (18°/5°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 74°/50°F (23°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 30°/13°F (-1°/-11°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Astana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 9°/-8°F (-12.6°/-22.0°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 12°/-7°F (-11.3°/-21.8°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 23°/4°F (-5.0°/-15.6°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 49°/28°F (9.3°/-2.4°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 67°/42°F (19.6°/5.8°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 78°/52°F (25.3°/11.2°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 81°/56°F (27.0°/13.4°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 76°/52°F (24.3°/10.9°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 65°/41°F (18.6°/5.1°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 47°/28°F (8.5°/-2.1°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.2°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 15°/-2°F (-9.7°/-18.9°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and Kazakhstan. To live, work, or study long-term in Kazakhstan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kazakhstan's immigration authority.
Zambia passport holder visiting Kazakhstan
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Kazakhstan passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Kazakhstan than Zambia?
On average Kazakhstan is around 7% pricier than Zambia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Kazakhstan?
Budget about KZT9,225,000 for 3 months in Kazakhstan (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 Kazakhstan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Kazakhstan: 15.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Kazakhstan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Kazakhstan safe for expats?
Kazakhstan performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kazakhstan is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Kazakhstan compared to Zambia?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kazakhstan leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 37.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Kazakhstan, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Kazakhstan scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Kazakhstan compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Astana is 46°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Astana receives around 12.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Kazakhstan?
The official languages in Kazakhstan are Kazakh and Russian. In Zambia, the official language is English.
