Moving to Zimbabwe from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Syria to Zimbabwe, you would find that Zimbabwe is 42.6% more expensive than Syria overall. A SYP980,000,000 salary in Syria would need to be roughly ZWL34,600,000 in Zimbabwe to maintain the same lifestyle, 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.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Syria to Zimbabwe.

What does your salary buy?

SYP980,000,000 → ZWL34,600,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Zimbabwe

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 3.5% less

Groceries

pay 51.9% more

Transportation

pay 74.9% more

Housing

pay 44.3% more

Childcare

pay 4.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 47.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SYP = 0.0248 ZWL (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Get free moving quotes to Zimbabwe

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

How Syria 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

SY
2.1
ZW
6.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
ZW
29.9

Syria 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

SY
$122
ZW
$103
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

SY
15.2
ZW
1.4

Syria 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

SY
83.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
ZW
0.8t

Zimbabwe performs significantly better than Syria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SY
6.9
ZW
1.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
ZW
46.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.6%
ZW
9.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$1,057
ZW
$3,021

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

SY
72.6 yrs
ZW
63.1 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
17.7
ZW
62.4

Syria performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2010–2021), The World Factbook (2009–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Syria (2016), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Harare
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Harare
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Syria

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Zimbabwe than Syria?

Day-to-day costs in Zimbabwe run about 43% higher than Syria on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Zimbabwe?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a SYP980,000,000 comparable salary, that's around ZWL8,650,000 in Zimbabwe for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Zimbabwe?

With 1.9 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 Syria and Zimbabwe.

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Syria performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Zimbabwe, compared to 15.2 in Syria. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 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 Syria, the official language is Arabic.

Share this

At a Glance

SY ZW
Population 25,620,427 16,950,795
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Arabic Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +963 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number — 999