Moving to Zimbabwe from Iceland

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Iceland to Zimbabwe? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Iceland 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 45°F in Reykjavik, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Zimbabwe compared to Iceland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IS
1.1
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IS
2.4
ZW
29.9

Iceland performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IS
$6,927
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IS
45.2
ZW
1.7

Iceland 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

IS
8.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IS
8.5t
ZW
0.8t

Iceland 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

IS
38.2
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IS
0.4%
ZW
46.1%

Iceland 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

IS
3.6%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IS
$66,500
ZW
$3,500

Iceland 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

IS
83.6 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IS
1.6
ZW
28.5

Iceland performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Data: Directorate of Internal Revenue, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Reykjavik Rain: 31.4 in/yr (798 mm)
45° / 35°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Reykjavik Harare
Jan–Mar 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Reykjavik Harare
Jan 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Icelandic Meteorological Office Icelandic Meteorological Office, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Iceland 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.

Iceland passport

Iceland passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Iceland

Visa Required
Zimbabwe passport holders need a visa to enter Iceland.

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?

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?

Iceland performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Iceland.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Iceland?

Iceland 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 45.2 in Iceland. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Iceland: 89).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 45°F in Reykjavik. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Reykjavik gets 31.4 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 Iceland, the official language is Icelandic.

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At a Glance

IS ZW
Population 357,603 15,121,004
Currency Icelandic Króna (ISK) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Icelandic Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +354 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999