Moving to United Arab Emirates from Zambia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Zambia to United Arab Emirates — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Zambia to United Arab Emirates, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Abu Dhabi averages 93°F vs 80°F in Lusaka, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Zambia and United Arab Emirates stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
5.2
AE
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZM
17.1
AE
5.9

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZM
$244
AE
$3,727
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZM
2.6
AE
29.1

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZM
50.0
AE
70.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZM
0.5t
AE
18.3t

Zambia performs better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZM
0.4
AE
40.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZM
2.8%
AE
1533.3%

United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Zambia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ZM
5.9%
AE
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZM
$3,700
AE
$75,600

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZM
66.3 yrs
AE
79.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZM
37.1
AE
5.1

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Zambia across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zambia Revenue Authority

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lusaka Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
80° / 59°F

Avg. annual high / low

Abu Dhabi Rain: 3.5 in/yr (89 mm)
93° / 68°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lusaka Abu Dhabi
Jan–Mar 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) 78°/56°F (26°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 99°/72°F (37°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) 106°/81°F (41°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) 87°/64°F (31°/18°C)
View all months
Month Lusaka Abu Dhabi
Jan 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C)
Feb 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C)
Mar 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C)
Apr 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C)
May 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C)
Jun 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C)
Jul 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C)
Aug 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C)
Sep 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C)
Oct 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C)
Nov 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C)
Dec 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C)

Data: Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia and United Arab Emirates. To live, work, or study long-term in United Arab Emirates, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Arab Emirates's immigration authority.

Zambia passport

Zambia passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zambia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Arab Emirates.
United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Zambia

Visa Free
United Arab Emirates passport holders can enter Zambia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from United Arab Emirates?

With 40.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates.

Is United Arab Emirates safe for expats?

United Arab Emirates performs significantly better than Zambia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United Arab Emirates is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.

How is healthcare in United Arab Emirates compared to Zambia?

United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United Arab Emirates, compared to 2.6 in Zambia. United Arab Emirates scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).

What's the weather like in United Arab Emirates compared to Zambia?

The average high temperature in Abu Dhabi is 93°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Abu Dhabi receives around 3.5 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.

What language do they speak in United Arab Emirates?

The official language in United Arab Emirates is Arabic. In Zambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

ZM AE
Population 19,642,123 9,915,803
Currency Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED)
Languages English Arabic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +260 +971
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999