Moving to Zimbabwe from Kenya
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Kenya to Zimbabwe — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Kenya to Zimbabwe, you would find that Zimbabwe is 30.5% more expensive than Kenya overall. A KES9,700,000 salary in Kenya would need to be roughly ZWL31,400,000 in Zimbabwe to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Kenya to Zimbabwe.
What does your salary buy?
KES9,700,000 → ZWL31,400,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zimbabwe
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 22.2% more
Groceries
pay 47.3% more
Transportation
pay 27.7% more
Housing
pay 41.4% more
Childcare
pay 7.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.6% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Kenya to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kenya 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
Kenya 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
Kenya performs better than Zimbabwe across all environment metrics.
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
Kenya generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in electricity per capita.
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
Kenya generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in gdp per capita.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Kenya generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in literacy rate.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021), Revenue Authority (2016), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016). 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 | Nairobi | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Nairobi | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) |
| Feb | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) |
| Mar | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) |
| Apr | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) |
| May | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jun | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) |
| Jul | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) |
| Sep | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Kenya Meteorological Department,
Meteorological Services Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kenya 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.
Kenya passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa Free
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Kenya
Visa FreeData: 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 Kenya?
No — Zimbabwe is on average about 30% more expensive than Kenya. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Zimbabwe?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZWL7,850,000 in Zimbabwe on a KES9,700,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Zimbabwe?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Zimbabwe has 1.9 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?
Kenya performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.
How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Kenya?
Kenya 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 2.9 in Kenya. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kenya: 53).
What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Kenya?
The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 74°F in Nairobi. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Nairobi gets 40.3 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 Kenya, the official languages are English and Swahili.
Compare further: Kenya vs. Zimbabwe
At a Glance
KE
|
ZW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,532,493 | 16,950,795 |
| Currency | Kenyan Shilling (KES) | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) |
| Languages | English, Swahili | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +254 | +263 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 999 |