Moving to Zimbabwe from Kenya

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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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Kenya to Zimbabwe.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KE
4.9
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KE
28.2
ZW
29.9

Kenya performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KE
$274
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KE
1.0
ZW
1.7

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KE
33.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KE
0.4t
ZW
0.8t

Kenya performs better than Zimbabwe across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KE
1.9
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KE
33.2%
ZW
46.1%

Kenya generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KE
5.7%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KE
$5,700
ZW
$3,500

Kenya 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

KE
69.7 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KE
27.9
ZW
28.5

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

Data: Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Nairobi Rain: 40.3 in/yr (1024 mm)
74° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

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 Kenya Meteorological Department, Meteorological Services 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

Kenya passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa Free
Kenya passport holders can enter Zimbabwe without a visa.
Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Kenya

Visa Free
Zimbabwe passport holders can enter Kenya without a visa.

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Zimbabwe has 1.3 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 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.9 in Kenya.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Kenya?

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in suicide rate. There are 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 1.0 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.

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At a Glance

KE ZW
Population 55,864,655 15,121,004
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