Moving to Sweden from Zambia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Zambia to Sweden — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Zambia to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 2.1 times more expensive than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly SEK1,550,000 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°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 ↓Is Sweden cheaper than Zambia?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.7 times more
Groceries
pay 29.8% more
Transportation
pay 92.6% more
Housing
pay 2.9 times more
Childcare
pay 29.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.0 times 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.
What salary do you need in Sweden?
What does your salary buy?
ZMW1,500,000 → SEK1,550,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Zambia to Sweden, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Zambia and Sweden stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden 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 Sweden 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 Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Zambia generally does better on employment & economy, though Sweden leads in gdp per capita.
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
Sweden 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), Skatteverket (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Sweden vs Zambia
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lusaka | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Can you move from Zambia to Sweden?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and Sweden. To live, work, or study long-term in Sweden, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sweden's immigration authority.
Zambia passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Required
Sweden 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 Sweden than Zambia?
Day-to-day costs in Sweden run about 108% higher than Zambia on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ZMW1,500,000 comparable salary, that's around SEK387,500 in Sweden for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Sweden?
With 40.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Sweden 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 Sweden.
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Zambia?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sweden leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Zambia, the official language is English.
