Moving to Zimbabwe from Nigeria
What to Expect
Considering a move from Nigeria to Zimbabwe? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Nigeria to Zimbabwe, you would find that Zimbabwe is 26.9% more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN100,000,000 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly ZWL30,700,000 in Zimbabwe to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harare averages 78°F vs 91°F in Abuja, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
What does your salary buy?
NGN100,000,000 → ZWL30,700,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zimbabwe
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 93.4% more
Groceries
pay 20.7% more
Transportation
pay 2.1 times more
Housing
pay 13.8% less
Childcare
pay 49.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 78.2% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Zimbabwe compared to Nigeria.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Nigeria generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate.
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
Nigeria 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
Nigeria generally does better on environment, though Zimbabwe leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Zimbabwe generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria leads in water stress level.
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
Nigeria 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
Zimbabwe performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria (2016), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2021). 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 | Abuja | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 91°/69°F (33°/21°C) | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 93°/64°F (34°/18°C) | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abuja | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94°/69°F (34.7°/20.4°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) |
| Feb | 98°/78°F (36.8°/25.5°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) |
| Mar | 98°/76°F (36.9°/24.3°C) | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) |
| Apr | 96°/76°F (35.6°/24.7°C) | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) |
| May | 91°/67°F (32.7°/19.5°C) | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/71°F (29.1°/21.9°C) | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 84°/64°F (28.9°/17.7°C) | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) |
| Sep | 86°/64°F (30.0°/17.5°C) | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 90°/71°F (32.0°/21.4°C) | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 94°/60°F (34.4°/15.7°C) | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 94°/60°F (34.6°/15.5°C) | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Nigerian Meteorological Agency,
Meteorological Services Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria 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.
Nigeria passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Nigeria
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: 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 Nigeria?
On average Zimbabwe is around 27% pricier than Nigeria, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Zimbabwe?
Budget about ZWL7,675,000 for 3 months in Zimbabwe (based on a NGN100,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Zimbabwe?
Connectivity is usually fine (Zimbabwe: 1.9 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?
Nigeria generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.8 in Nigeria.
How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Nigeria?
Nigeria 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 3.8 in Nigeria. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).
What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Nigeria?
The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 91°F in Abuja. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Abuja gets 48.1 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 Nigeria, the official language is English.
Compare further: Nigeria vs. Zimbabwe
At a Glance
NG
|
ZW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 237,527,782 | 16,950,795 |
| Currency | Nigerian Naira (NGN) | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) |
| Languages | English | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +234 | +263 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 112 | 999 |