Moving to Zimbabwe from Japan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Japan to Zimbabwe — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Japan to Zimbabwe, you would find that Zimbabwe is 29.2% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly ZWL17,300,000 in Zimbabwe to maintain the same lifestyle, 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harare averages 78°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Japan to Zimbabwe.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → ZWL17,300,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zimbabwe
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 5.1% less
Groceries
pay 32.4% less
Transportation
pay 9.3% more
Housing
pay 41.4% less
Childcare
pay 34.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Get free moving quotes to Zimbabwe
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How Japan and Zimbabwe stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on environment, though Zimbabwe leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Japan performs better than Zimbabwe across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in top income tax 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
Japan performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2013). 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 | Tokyo | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Meteorological Services Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa on Arrival
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Japan
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Zimbabwe than Japan?
Generally yes: Zimbabwe runs about 29% cheaper than Japan on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Zimbabwe?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ¥12,000,000 comparable salary, that's around ZWL4,325,000 in Zimbabwe for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Zimbabwe?
With 1.9 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 Japan and Zimbabwe.
Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Japan?
Japan 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 26.5 in Japan. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 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 Japan, the official language is Japanese.
Compare further: Japan vs. Zimbabwe
At a Glance
JP
|
ZW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 123,366,734 | 16,950,795 |
| Currency | Japanese Yen (¥) | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) |
| Languages | Japanese | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +81 | +263 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 110 | 999 |