Moving to Zimbabwe from Sierra Leone
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Sierra Leone to Zimbabwe — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Sierra Leone to Zimbabwe. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Sierra Leone to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sierra Leone 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sierra Leone leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Sierra Leone 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
Sierra Leone generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Sierra Leone 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 generally does better on family life, though Sierra Leone leads in education spending.
Data: National Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Freetown | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 87°/76°F (31°/24°C) | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 86°/75°F (30°/24°C) | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Freetown | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/75°F (29.9°/23.8°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) |
| Feb | 87°/75°F (30.3°/24.0°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) |
| Mar | 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) |
| Apr | 88°/77°F (31.2°/24.8°C) | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) |
| May | 88°/76°F (30.9°/24.4°C) | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jun | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.6°C) | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) |
| Jul | 84°/74°F (28.7°/23.1°C) | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 83°/73°F (28.4°/23.0°C) | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) |
| Sep | 84°/74°F (29.0°/23.1°C) | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.4°C) | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 86°/75°F (30.1°/24.0°C) | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 85°/75°F (29.7°/24.1°C) | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) |
Data:
Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency,
Meteorological Services Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sierra Leone 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.
Sierra Leone passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Sierra Leone
Visa on ArrivalData: 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?
Sierra Leone performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Sierra Leone.
How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Sierra Leone?
Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Sierra Leone leads in suicide rate. There are 1.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 0.4 in Sierra Leone. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sierra Leone: 41).
What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Sierra Leone?
The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 86°F in Freetown. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Freetown gets 116.0 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 Sierra Leone, the official language is English.
Compare further: Sierra Leone vs. Zimbabwe
At a Glance
SL
|
ZW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,692,606 | 15,121,004 |
| Currency | Sierra Leonean Leone (SLL) | 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 | +232 | +263 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | — | 999 |