Moving to Tanzania from Zambia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zambia to Tanzania? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zambia to Tanzania, you would find that Tanzania is 14.0% cheaper than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly TZS171,000,000 in Tanzania to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Zambia and Tanzania.
What does your salary buy?
ZMW1,500,000 → TZS171,000,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Tanzania
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 10.2% less
Groceries
pay 39.2% less
Transportation
pay 11.0% less
Housing
pay 3.3% less
Childcare
pay 61.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.1% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Zambia to Tanzania.
Who's moving to Tanzania?
Top countries of origin for Tanzania's foreign-born residents.
- 222,115
- 70,736
- 24,274
- 22,287
- 13,052
-
6.7,637
Zambia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Tanzania compared to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Tanzania 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
Tanzania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia 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
Tanzania performs significantly better than Zambia 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
Zambia generally does better on infrastructure, though Tanzania leads in internet access.
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
Tanzania 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
Tanzania generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), Tanzania Revenue Authority (2016). 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 | Dodoma |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 85°/65°F (29°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 82°/61°F (28°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 82°/58°F (28°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 87°/64°F (30°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Dodoma |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 85°/65°F (29.4°/18.6°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 85°/65°F (29.4°/18.6°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.3°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 82°/62°F (28.0°/16.5°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 81°/58°F (27.1°/14.4°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 80°/56°F (26.5°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 84°/60°F (29.0°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 87°/62°F (30.5°/16.9°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.3°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 87°/66°F (30.4°/18.8°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Tanzania Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and Tanzania. To live, work, or study long-term in Tanzania, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Tanzania's immigration authority.
Zambia passport holder visiting Tanzania
Visa Free
Tanzania 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 Tanzania than Zambia?
On average Tanzania is about 14% less expensive than Zambia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Tanzania?
Budget about TZS42,750,000 for 3 months in Tanzania (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 Tanzania?
Connectivity is usually fine (Tanzania: 0.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Tanzania offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Tanzania safe for expats?
Tanzania performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Tanzania is 3.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Tanzania compared to Zambia?
Tanzania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Tanzania, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Tanzania scores 43 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Tanzania compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Dodoma is 84°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Dodoma receives around 23.9 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Tanzania?
The official languages in Tanzania are English and Swahili. In Zambia, the official language is English.
