Moving to Zimbabwe from Turkey

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Turkey to Zimbabwe? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Turkey to Zimbabwe, you would find that Zimbabwe is 13.4% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,800,000 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly ZWL21,100,000 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Harare averages 78°F vs 65°F in Istanbul, making it significantly warmer.

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

Is Zimbabwe cheaper than Turkey?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 21.7% less

Groceries

pay 44.5% more

Transportation

pay 7.9% more

Housing

pay 25.9% less

Childcare

pay 50.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 16.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 TRY = 6.42 ZWL (November 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.

What salary do you need in Zimbabwe?

What does your salary buy?

TRY3,800,000 → ZWL21,100,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Zimbabwe

Calculate with your salary →

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

The numbers behind daily life in Zimbabwe compared to Turkey.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

TR
3.2
ZW
6.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

TR
6.5
ZW
29.9

Turkey 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

TR
$1,769
ZW
$103
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

TR
22.4
ZW
1.4

Turkey 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

TR
39.0
ZW
56.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

TR
5.4t
ZW
0.8t

Turkey generally does better on environment, though Zimbabwe leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

TR
23.4
ZW
1.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

TR
47.9%
ZW
46.1%

Turkey 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

TR
8.5%
ZW
9.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

TR
$18,599
ZW
$3,021

Turkey performs better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

TR
77.4 yrs
ZW
63.1 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

TR
8.0
ZW
62.4

Turkey performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey (2016), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

Weather in Zimbabwe vs Turkey

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Istanbul Rain: 26.7 in/yr (678 mm)
65° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Istanbul Harare
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (10°/3°C) 79°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/54°F (21°/12°C) 75°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 76°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 60°/48°F (16°/9°C) 82°/59°F (28°/15°C)
View all months
Month Istanbul Harare
Jan 48°/37°F (8.7°/2.9°C) 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C)
Feb 48°/37°F (9.1°/2.8°C) 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C)
Mar 52°/39°F (11.2°/3.9°C) 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C)
Apr 62°/46°F (16.5°/7.7°C) 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C)
May 71°/54°F (21.4°/12.0°C) 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C)
Jun 79°/61°F (26.0°/16.0°C) 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C)
Jul 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.5°C) 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C)
Aug 83°/66°F (28.5°/18.7°C) 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C)
Sep 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.5°C) 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C)
Oct 68°/54°F (20.1°/12.0°C) 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C)
Nov 60°/47°F (15.3°/8.5°C) 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C)
Dec 52°/42°F (11.1°/5.3°C) 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C)

Data: Turkish State Meteorological Service Turkish State Meteorological Service, Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department

Can you move from Turkey to Zimbabwe?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.

Turkey passport

Turkey passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Turkey

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

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 Turkey?

On average Zimbabwe is about 13% less expensive than Turkey, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Zimbabwe?

Budget about ZWL5,275,000 for 3 months in Zimbabwe (based on a TRY3,800,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Zimbabwe?

Connectivity is usually fine (Zimbabwe: 1.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Zimbabwe offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?

Turkey performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 3.2 in Turkey.

How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to Turkey?

Turkey 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 22.4 in Turkey. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).

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

The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 65°F in Istanbul. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Istanbul gets 26.7 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 Turkey, the official language is Turkish.

Share this

At a Glance

TR ZW
Population 85,878,556 16,950,795
Currency Turkish Lira (TRY) Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL)
Languages Turkish Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +90 +263
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999