Moving to Zimbabwe from El Salvador

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from El Salvador 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 87°F in San Salvador, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How El Salvador 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

SV
7.8
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SV
21.5
ZW
29.9

El Salvador 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

SV
$1,176
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SV
15.5
ZW
1.7

El Salvador 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

SV
31.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SV
1.5t
ZW
0.8t

El Salvador 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

SV
10.6
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SV
13.2%
ZW
46.1%

El Salvador performs better than Zimbabwe across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SV
2.8%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SV
$11,300
ZW
$3,500

El Salvador 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

SV
75.4 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SV
12.1
ZW
28.5

El Salvador generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in literacy rate.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

San Salvador Rain: 70.0 in/yr (1777 mm)
87° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Salvador Harare
Jan–Mar 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month San Salvador Harare
Jan 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between El Salvador 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.

El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting El Salvador

Visa Required
Zimbabwe passport holders need a visa to enter El Salvador.

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 El Salvador and Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

El Salvador 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 7.8 in El Salvador.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to El Salvador?

El Salvador 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 15.5 in El Salvador. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).

What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to El Salvador?

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 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 El Salvador, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

SV ZW
Population 6,568,745 15,121,004
Currency Salvadoran Colón (SVC) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Spanish Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +503 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 999