Remittance Costs Statistics in Zambia (2026)
Zambia recorded the average cost of sending remittances of 8.1% of the amount sent in 2023, World Bank World Development Indicators data show. Up from 5.5% in 2022 to 8.1% in 2023 (+2.7 percentage points). Zambia ranks #26 of 32 economies in Sub-Saharan Africa on this measure, and #91 of 101 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2023)
- 8.1% (2023)
- Remittance Costs in Zambia as of 2023, the most recent observation in World Bank World Development Indicators data.
- Change since 2022
- +2.7 pp (2023)
- Up from 5.5% in 2022 to 8.1% in 2023 (+2.7 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2016)
- 12.6% (2016)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Down from 12.6% in 2016 to 8.1% in 2023.
- Peak value (2016)
- 12.6% (2016)
- Highest value in the available series; the 2023 value is 8.1%.
- Rank in Sub-Saharan Africa (lower is better; rank 1 = lowest)
- #26 of 32 (2023)
- Zambia ranks 26 of 32 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data, based on each country's latest value. Ranked ascending because lower values are better for this metric.
- Global rank (lower is better; rank 1 = lowest)
- #91 of 101 (2023)
- Zambia ranks 91 of 101 countries with data globally. Ranked ascending because lower values are better for this metric.
- Sub-Saharan Africa average
- 5.2% (2023)
- Zambia (8.1%) is above the average of 5.2% across the 32 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data.
- Personal remittances, received (current US$) (2024)
- $334.3 million (2024)
- Related indicator from World Bank World Development Indicators.
- Internet use in Zambia (2024)
- 17.1% (2024)
- 17.1% of the population in Zambia used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 21.3 million (2024)
- Zambia had a population of 21.3 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2016–2023
| Year | % of amount sent | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 8.1% | +2.7 pp |
| 2022 | 5.5% | −2.1 pp |
| 2021 | 7.6% | −1.6 pp |
| 2020 | 9.2% | −2.2 pp |
| 2019 | 11.4% | +1.2 pp |
| 2018 | 10.2% | −1.3 pp |
| 2017 | 11.5% | −1.2 pp |
| 2016 | 12.6% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What is the latest figure for average cost of sending remittances in Zambia?
The average cost of sending remittances in Zambia stood at 8.1% of the amount sent in 2023, according to World Bank World Development Indicators data.
How recent is the remittance costs data for Zambia?
The most recent observation is from 2023. World Bank World Development Indicators data is reported with a lag, so 2023 is the latest available year for Zambia.
Where does the remittance costs data for Zambia come from?
The data comes from the World Bank World Development Indicators (indicator SI.RMT.COST.IB.ZS). The latest observation for Zambia is from 2023; the snapshot was retrieved on 2026-06-10.
How has remittance costs in Zambia changed over time?
World Bank World Development Indicators data show a decline from 12.6% in 2016 to 8.1% in 2023.
How does Zambia compare with other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Zambia ranks 26 of 32 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with data (ranked ascending; lower is better), with 8.1% versus a regional average of 5.2% (latest values per country).
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator
SI.RMT.COST.IB.ZS, retrieved .
Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.
Last updated .