Moving to Zimbabwe from Burundi

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Burundi to Zimbabwe — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Burundi 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Burundi to Zimbabwe.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BI
5.8
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BI
12.3
ZW
29.9

Burundi performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BI
$100
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BI
0.6
ZW
1.7

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burundi leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BI
71.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BI
0.1t
ZW
0.8t

Burundi generally does better on environment, though Zimbabwe leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BI
0.0
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BI
10.2%
ZW
46.1%

Burundi generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BI
0.9%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BI
$900
ZW
$3,500

Burundi generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BI
67.4 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BI
37.8
ZW
28.5

Burundi generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in infant mortality.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bujumbura Rain: 30.9 in/yr (786 mm)
85° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

Harare Rain: 33.1 in/yr (841 mm)
78° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bujumbura Harare
Jan–Mar 85°/67°F (29°/19°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/66°F (30°/19°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Bujumbura Harare
Jan 84°/67°F (29.1°/19.2°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 85°/67°F (29.7°/19.3°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 85°/67°F (29.3°/19.3°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 86°/66°F (29.9°/19.1°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.6°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.2°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 86°/63°F (30.0°/17.4°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 88°/65°F (30.9°/18.6°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 86°/66°F (30.1°/19.1°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 84°/66°F (29.1°/19.1°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 84°/66°F (28.9°/19.1°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU) Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU), Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burundi 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.

Burundi passport

Burundi passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa on Arrival
Burundi passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Burundi

Visa on Arrival
Zimbabwe passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Burundi.

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 1.3 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?

Burundi performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in Burundi.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Burundi?

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Burundi leads in suicide rate. There are 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 0.6 in Burundi. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burundi: 41).

What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Burundi?

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 85°F in Bujumbura. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Bujumbura gets 30.9 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 Burundi, the official languages are French and Kirundi.

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At a Glance

BI ZW
Population 12,696,478 15,121,004
Currency Burundian Franc (BIF) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages French, Kirundi Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +257 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999