Dynamic night skyline of Dar es Salaam, showcasing illuminated city architecture.
All cities
43.1Score

Zambia

Lusaka

3.5 million people in the metro

The gist

A fast growing, churchgoing capital with a friendly, English speaking pool. Marriage is a major family milestone.

The score, in four parts

The dating pool17
The marriage scene51
Family costs70
Safety and stability52

The pool

How many people you could realistically meet, and how balanced the odds are.

Singles 25 to 34

163,000

Never-married people in their late twenties and thirties, estimated

Never married

37% / 25%

Men / women age 25 to 34 who have never married

Balance

More single men than women

151 single men per 100 single women, age 25 to 34

First marriage

25 / 22

Median age for men / women

The scene

Whether people here actually get married, and how open the city is to someone like you.

Want to marry

88%

Single adults who say they want to marry

How fast people marry

30 per 1,000

Weddings per 1,000 unmarried adults each year

Marrying foreigners

1%

Marriages between a local and a foreigner

How people meet

Apps 4/10

Matchmaking and singles events 5/10

The costs

What dating, marrying, and raising a family costs here, against what people earn.

Date night

$28

Dinner for two, drinks, a movie

Family rent

$930/mo

Two incomes expected

A wedding

$4,000

Typical total cost

Household income

$1,800

Median per year

The reality

Safety, stability, and what daily life is like after the honeymoon phase.

Safety

Stay alert at night

45 out of 100

Divorce

Low divorce rate

0.8 per 1,000 people a year

Healthcare

44/100

Quality of care

English

Widely spoken

Everyday usability for a foreigner

The culture

Not scored. Whether these are features or mismatches depends on you.

  • Religion shapes daily life
  • Family approval matters
  • Traditional roles common
  • Living together first is rare

Marriage payment custom: None.

* Some numbers come from national statistics and might differ from the city itself. Last updated August 22, 2026.