Moving to Zambia from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Zimbabwe to Zambia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Zambia.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Zimbabwe to Zambia, based on official data.
Who's moving to Zambia?
Top countries of origin for Zambia's foreign-born residents.
- 50,661
- 31,424
-
3.16,816
Zimbabwe
- 13,422
- 10,460
- 9,202
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Zimbabwe to Zambia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Zambia performs significantly better than Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Zambia performs significantly better than Zimbabwe 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
Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe leads in poverty 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
Zimbabwe generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in life expectancy.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe and Zambia. To live, work, or study long-term in Zambia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Zambia's immigration authority.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Zambia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Zambia has 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Zambia safe for expats?
Zambia performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Zimbabwe?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.
Compare further: Zimbabwe vs. Zambia
At a Glance
ZW
|
ZM
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,121,004 | 19,642,123 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | English |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +263 | +260 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | — |