Moving to Zimbabwe from Botswana
What to Expect
Considering a move from Botswana to Zimbabwe? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Botswana to Zimbabwe.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Botswana to Zimbabwe.
Who's moving to Zimbabwe?
Top countries of origin for Zimbabwe's foreign-born residents.
- 122,923
- 108,491
- 31,692
- 19,731
- 12,705
-
6.3,865
Botswana
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Zimbabwe compared to Botswana.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Botswana generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Botswana 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
Botswana generally does better on environment, though Zimbabwe leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Botswana performs better than Zimbabwe across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in unemployment 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
Botswana generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in literacy rate.
Data: Botswana Unified Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Gaborone | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Gaborone | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) |
| Feb | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) |
| Mar | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) |
| Apr | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) |
| May | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jun | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) |
| Jul | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) |
| Sep | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Botswana Meteorological Services,
Meteorological Services Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana 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.
Botswana passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa Free
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Botswana
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 Zimbabwe?
Connectivity is usually fine (Zimbabwe: 1.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Zimbabwe offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?
Botswana 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 10.6 in Botswana.
How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Botswana?
Botswana 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 3.8 in Botswana. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).
What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Botswana?
The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.
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 Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.
Compare further: Botswana vs. Zimbabwe
At a Glance
BW
|
ZW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,384,246 | 15,121,004 |
| Currency | Botswanan Pula (BWP) | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) |
| Languages | English, Tswana | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +267 | +263 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 999 |