Moving to Zimbabwe from California

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from California to Zimbabwe. 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 California to Zimbabwe.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

CA
28.4%
ZW
15.5%

Zimbabwe performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

CA
92.6%
ZW
35.0%

California performs better than Zimbabwe across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CA
5.1%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CA
$84,028
ZW
$3,500

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

CA
79.0 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs

California performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Sacramento Rain: 18.5 in/yr (470 mm)
74° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sacramento Harare
Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Sacramento Harare
Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Zimbabwe passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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?

Usually fine from major cities in Zimbabwe. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to California?

Zimbabwe performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 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 California, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

ZW
Population 37,253,956 15,121,004
Currency United States Dollar ($) 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 Right Left
Calling code +1 +263
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 999