Moving to Latvia from Zambia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Zambia to Latvia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Zambia to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 43.2% more expensive than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly €96,500 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Zambia to Latvia.
What does your salary buy?
ZMW1,500,000 → €96,500
To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.1 times more
Groceries
pay 13.8% less
Transportation
pay 42.4% more
Housing
pay 52.7% more
Childcare
pay 81.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 50.6% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Zambia to Latvia, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Latvia?
Top countries of origin for Latvia's foreign-born residents.
- 116,771
- 42,251
- 32,262
- 14,209
- 5,651
- 3,712
Key Indicator Comparison
How Zambia and Latvia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Latvia 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 Latvia 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 Latvia 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
Latvia 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Latvia 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Latvia 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), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016), The World Factbook (2021). 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 | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and Latvia. To live, work, or study long-term in Latvia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Latvia's immigration authority.
Zambia passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Required
Latvia 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 Latvia than Zambia?
Day-to-day costs in Latvia run about 43% higher than Zambia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Latvia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ZMW1,500,000 comparable salary, that's around €24,125 in Latvia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Latvia?
With 25.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Latvia 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 Latvia.
Is Latvia safe for expats?
Latvia performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Zambia?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. In Zambia, the official language is English.
