Moving to Zimbabwe from Swaziland

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Swaziland to Zimbabwe.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Swaziland 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

SZ
12.7
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SZ
24.7
ZW
29.9

Swaziland 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

SZ
$922
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SZ
15.9
ZW
1.7

Swaziland 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

SZ
66.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SZ
0.9t
ZW
0.8t

Zimbabwe performs significantly better than Swaziland 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

SZ
2.3
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SZ
77.6%
ZW
46.1%

Swaziland 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

SZ
37.6%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SZ
$10,600
ZW
$3,500

Swaziland generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SZ
59.7 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SZ
39.6
ZW
28.5

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

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lobamba Rain: 56.8 in/yr (1442 mm)
72° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lobamba Harare
Jan–Mar 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 70°/46°F (21°/8°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/44°F (21°/7°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Lobamba Harare
Jan 77°/59°F (24.9°/14.9°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 76°/58°F (24.5°/14.5°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 75°/56°F (24.1°/13.4°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 73°/52°F (22.6°/11.0°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 71°/46°F (21.4°/7.9°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 67°/40°F (19.3°/4.7°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 68°/40°F (19.8°/4.6°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 70°/44°F (21.3°/6.6°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 74°/49°F (23.2°/9.5°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 73°/52°F (22.8°/11.3°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 72°/55°F (22.5°/12.9°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Eswatini Meteorological Service Eswatini Meteorological Service, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Swaziland 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.

Swaziland passport

Swaziland passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Swaziland

Visa Free
Zimbabwe passport holders can enter Swaziland 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?

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 Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Swaziland 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 12.7 in Swaziland.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Swaziland?

Swaziland 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 15.9 in Swaziland. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Swaziland: 56).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 72°F in Lobamba. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lobamba gets 56.8 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 Swaziland, the official languages are English and Swazi.

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At a Glance

SZ ZW
Population 1,121,761 15,121,004
Currency Swazi Lilangeni (SZL) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages English, Swazi Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +268 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999