Moving to Zimbabwe from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United Arab Emirates to Zimbabwe — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Zimbabwe, you would find that Zimbabwe is 47.8% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED280,000 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly ZWL12,800,000 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 91°F in Dubai, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Zimbabwe cheaper than United Arab Emirates?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 24.0% less
Groceries
pay 1.5% less
Transportation
pay 21.3% more
Housing
pay 76.0% less
Childcare
pay 28.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.8% less
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?
AED280,000 → ZWL12,800,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Zimbabwe
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Zimbabwe
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Arab Emirates generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Zimbabwe performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United Arab Emirates performs better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
United Arab Emirates performs better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2003–2021), Ministry of Finance (2016), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Zimbabwe vs United Arab Emirates
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dubai | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 97°/74°F (36°/23°C) | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dubai | Harare |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/57°F (24.0°/13.7°C) | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) |
| Feb | 76°/58°F (24.6°/14.5°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) |
| Mar | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) |
| Apr | 90°/68°F (32.4°/20.1°C) | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) |
| May | 98°/74°F (36.8°/23.5°C) | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jun | 102°/79°F (38.8°/26.1°C) | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) |
| Jul | 105°/84°F (40.6°/28.9°C) | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 105°/85°F (40.4°/29.3°C) | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) |
| Sep | 102°/79°F (38.7°/26.3°C) | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) |
| Oct | 95°/73°F (35.1°/22.7°C) | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) |
| Nov | 87°/65°F (30.5°/18.3°C) | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.4°C) | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) |
Meteorological Services DepartmentCan you move from United Arab Emirates to Zimbabwe?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates 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.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa on Arrival
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 United Arab Emirates?
Yes — Zimbabwe is on average about 48% cheaper than United Arab Emirates. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Zimbabwe?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ZWL3,200,000 in Zimbabwe on a AED280,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Zimbabwe?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Zimbabwe has 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Zimbabwe safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates performs better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Zimbabwe is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in Zimbabwe compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Arab Emirates 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 29.9 in United Arab Emirates. Zimbabwe scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in Zimbabwe compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in Harare is 78°F, compared to 91°F in Dubai. Harare receives around 33.1 in of rainfall per year, while Dubai gets 3.7 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 United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
Compare further: United Arab Emirates vs. Zimbabwe
At a Glance
AE
|
ZW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,513,149 | 16,950,795 |
| Currency | United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) | 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 | +971 | +263 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 999 |