Moving to Zimbabwe from Sweden

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Sweden 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 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Sweden 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

SE
1.1
ZW
6.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SE
2.1
ZW
29.9

Sweden performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SE
$7,770
ZW
$63
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SE
71.5
ZW
1.7

Sweden 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

SE
8.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SE
3.6t
ZW
0.8t

Sweden 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

SE
40.4
ZW
1.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SE
3.6%
ZW
46.1%

Sweden 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

SE
7.6%
ZW
8.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SE
$64,200
ZW
$3,500

Sweden generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SE
82.7 yrs
ZW
63.3 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SE
2.3
ZW
28.5

Sweden performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Data: Skatteverket, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Stockholm Rain: 21.5 in/yr (546 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Stockholm Harare
Jan–Mar 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Stockholm Harare
Jan 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI), Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.

Sweden passport

Sweden passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Sweden

Visa Required
Zimbabwe passport holders need a visa to enter Sweden.

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 Sweden and Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Sweden performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Sweden?

Sweden 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 71.5 in Sweden. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 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 Sweden, the official language is Swedish.

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At a Glance

SE ZW
Population 10,483,647 15,121,004
Currency Swedish Krona (SEK) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Swedish Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +46 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999