South Sudan vs Zambia

South Sudan costs roughly 88% less than Zambia, though Zambia scores higher on safety. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.

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South Sudan is approximately 88% less expensive than Zambia based on cost of living including rent. This makes South Sudan a more expensive option for expats considering a move.

Zambia has a FIRE Score of 91/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The country's safety index is 48.3, suggesting moderate safety levels.

Recommended profile: Zambia is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.

Do Not TravelThe US State Dept advises against travel to South Sudan. This is reflected in the FIRE, Nomad & Retiree scores below. View official advisory →

About South Sudan

Retirees and remote workers should look elsewhere: a Level 4 do-not-travel advisory (the highest warning) and $3,500/mo center-city rent make this untenable for lifestyle-driven relocation. With no retirement or nomad visa, very low political stability, and a 22.8 healthcare index (Numbeo), this fits only aid workers or diplomats on hardship postings, not FIRE-focused expats.

MONTHLY DEFICIT

$-1,050/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$550
Family (excl. rent)$1,600

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$3,500
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$2,700
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$1,500
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$900

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
0/100
Retiree Score
6/100
Nomad Score
12/100


Country Details →
Overall Winner

About Zambia

Rock-bottom rent (around $475 for a city-center 1BR) suits a low-maintenance retiree willing to trade healthcare quality for cash flow, since the Healthcare Index sits at just 26.9 against a livable Quality of Life score of 79.4. A clear retirement visa path exists, but medical access often limited outside major cities and a small expat community make this a poor fit for anyone with chronic health conditions or no tolerance for going it alone.

MONTHLY SAVINGS

$1,820/mo

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Living Costs (excl. rent)

Single (excl. rent)$706
Family (excl. rent)$2,561

Rent Per Month

1 Bedroom (City Centre)
$475
1 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$146
3 Bedroom (City Centre)
$1,542
3 Bedroom (Outside Centre)
$1,089

Attractiveness Scores

FIRE Score
91/100
Retiree Score
41/100
Nomad Score
62/100


Country Details →

Battle of Lifestyles

Scroll to compare

MetricSouth SudanZambia
Travel Advisory
Level 4: Do Not TravelLevel 1: Normal Precautions
Quality of Life Index
30.6
79.4 +48.8
Healthcare Index
22.8 26.9 +4.1
Safety Index
12.1
48.3 +36.2
Cost of Living Index
18 +15.833.8
Living Costs (Single, excl. rent)$550 +155.9$705.9
Living Costs (Family, excl. rent)$1,600 +960.6$2,560.6
1BR Apartment (Center)$3,500 $474.59 +3,025.41
1BR Apartment (Outside)$2,700 $145.73 +2,554.27
3BR Apartment (Center)$1,500 +42.02$1,542.02
3BR Apartment (Outside)$900 +189$1,089
Avg Internet Speed5 Mbps 64.09 Mbps +59.1

Frequently Asked Questions

Click any question to expand the answer.

We use a "Pure Data" approach, pulling raw facts from high-authority sources including private sources for real-time crowd-sourced pricing, the World Bank for stability metrics, and official government visa portals.

The FIRE Score is a dynamic metric based on your Monthly Income vs. Total Expenses. It calculates your potential savings rate; the more you save, the higher the score.

Our indices (Quality of Life, Healthcare, Safety, Cost of Living) are relative metrics. For example, a higher Quality of Life Index indicates better purchasing power, safety, and healthcare, while a higher Cost of Living Index means the country is more expensive relative to others.

The Retiree Score is a holistic measure of how suitable a country is for long-term retirement. It is calculated from three main factors: healthcare system quality, safety index, and the general cost of living.

The Nomad Score measures how well a country supports remote workers. It is calculated from average internet speeds, the cost of living, and the safety index.

The "Single" toggle calculates costs based on a 1-Bedroom apartment. "Family" assumes a 3-Bedroom apartment and the expenses for a household of four.