Moving to Zimbabwe from Barbados

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Barbados to Zimbabwe — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Barbados to Zimbabwe.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Barbados and Zimbabwe stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BB
15.3
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BB
10.0
ZW
29.9

Barbados generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BB
$1,153
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BB
29.7
ZW
1.7

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe 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

BB
19.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BB
2.5t
ZW
0.8t

Barbados generally does better on environment, though Zimbabwe leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BB
37.6
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BB
87.5%
ZW
46.1%

Barbados generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BB
8.0%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BB
$17,400
ZW
$3,500

Barbados performs better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BB
78.5 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BB
9.6
ZW
28.5

Barbados performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Barbados, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Barbados passport

Barbados passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter Zimbabwe without a visa.
Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Barbados

Visa Free
Zimbabwe passport holders can enter Barbados 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 Zimbabwe?

With 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Zimbabwe can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Barbados and Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Barbados generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.3 in Barbados.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Barbados?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 29.7 in Barbados. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Barbados: 77).

What language do they speak in Zimbabwe?

The official languages in Zimbabwe are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language. In Barbados, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

BB ZW
Population 302,674 15,121,004
Currency Barbadian Dollar (BBD) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages English Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +1246 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999