Moving to Zimbabwe from Burkina Faso
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Burkina Faso to Zimbabwe — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Burkina Faso to Zimbabwe, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harare averages 78°F vs 95°F in Ouagadougou, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Burkina Faso to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Burkina Faso performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Burkina Faso 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
Burkina Faso generally does better on environment, though Zimbabwe leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Zimbabwe generally does better on infrastructure, though Burkina Faso leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Zimbabwe generally does better on employment & economy, though Burkina Faso 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
Burkina Faso generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ouagadougou | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 96°/67°F (36°/20°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/78°F (37°/26°C) | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/72°F (32°/22°C) | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 95°/67°F (35°/20°C) | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ouagadougou | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 91°/62°F (32.9°/16.5°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) |
| Feb | 96°/66°F (35.8°/19.1°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) |
| Mar | 101°/74°F (38.3°/23.5°C) | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) |
| Apr | 103°/80°F (39.3°/26.4°C) | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) |
| May | 100°/79°F (37.7°/26.1°C) | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jun | 94°/75°F (34.7°/24.1°C) | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) |
| Jul | 90°/73°F (32.1°/22.8°C) | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.2°C) | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) |
| Sep | 90°/72°F (32.5°/22.4°C) | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 96°/73°F (35.6°/23.0°C) | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 97°/67°F (35.9°/19.6°C) | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.9°C) | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Burkina Faso,
Meteorological Services Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burkina Faso 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.
Burkina Faso passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Burkina Faso
Visa Online (e-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?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Zimbabwe has 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?
Burkina Faso performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Burkina Faso.
How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Burkina Faso?
Burkina Faso generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 1.5 in Burkina Faso. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burkina Faso: 40).
What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Burkina Faso?
The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 95°F in Ouagadougou. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Ouagadougou gets 29.3 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 Burkina Faso, the official language is French.
Compare further: Burkina Faso vs. Zimbabwe
At a Glance
BF
|
ZW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,074,580 | 16,950,795 |
| Currency | CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) |
| Languages | French | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +226 | +263 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 999 |