Moving to Zimbabwe from Russia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to Zimbabwe — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Russia 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 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RU
6.8
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RU
10.6
ZW
29.9

Russia generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RU
$3,204
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RU
38.3
ZW
1.7

Russia 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

RU
39.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RU
14.0t
ZW
0.8t

Russia 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

RU
24.8
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RU
4.1%
ZW
46.1%

Russia 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

RU
3.3%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RU
$39,800
ZW
$3,500

Russia 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

RU
72.4 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RU
6.4
ZW
28.5

Russia performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Moscow Rain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Moscow Harare
Jan–Mar 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Moscow Harare
Jan 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.

Russia passport

Russia passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Russia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zimbabwe passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Russia.

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?

Russia generally does better on safety, though Zimbabwe leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Russia?

Russia 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 38.3 in Russia. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 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 Russia, the official language is Russian.

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At a Glance

RU ZW
Population 142,021,981 15,121,004
Currency Russian Ruble (RUB) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Russian Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +7 +263
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 112 999