Moving to Zimbabwe from Sri Lanka

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Sri Lanka to Zimbabwe — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Sri Lanka 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harare averages 78°F vs 87°F in Colombo, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

LK
3.4
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

LK
11.5
ZW
29.9

Sri Lanka 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

LK
$507
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

LK
11.9
ZW
1.7

Sri Lanka 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

LK
37.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

LK
1.1t
ZW
0.8t

Sri Lanka 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

LK
10.1
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

LK
90.8%
ZW
46.1%

Sri Lanka generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

LK
6.4%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

LK
$13,000
ZW
$3,500

Sri Lanka 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

LK
77.5 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

LK
8.2
ZW
28.5

Sri Lanka generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in education spending.

Data: Sri Lanka Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Colombo Rain: 99.4 in/yr (2524 mm)
87° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Colombo Harare
Jan–Mar 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/77°F (31°/25°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/77°F (30°/25°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Colombo Harare
Jan 88°/72°F (30.9°/22.3°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.6°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 89°/75°F (31.7°/23.7°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.6°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.5°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 87°/78°F (30.4°/25.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.2°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 86°/77°F (30.0°/25.1°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 86°/77°F (30.2°/24.8°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 86°/75°F (30.0°/24.0°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 87°/73°F (30.3°/22.8°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: National Meteorological Centre National Meteorological Centre, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sri Lanka 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.

Sri Lanka passport

Sri Lanka passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Sri Lanka

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Zimbabwe passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Sri Lanka.

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?

With 1.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Zimbabwe can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Sri Lanka performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.4 in Sri Lanka.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka 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 11.9 in Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sri Lanka: 67).

What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to Sri Lanka?

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 87°F in Colombo. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Colombo gets 99.4 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 Sri Lanka, the official languages are Sinhala and Tamil.

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At a Glance

LK ZW
Population 23,187,516 15,121,004
Currency Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Sinhala, Tamil Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +94 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 999