Moving to Germany from Zimbabwe

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zimbabwe to Germany, and you’d need to navigate life in German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Berlin averages 56°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Zimbabwe to Germany, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
817 ↑ 27% vs 2022

people moved from Zimbabwe to Germany · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Germany?

Top countries of origin for Germany's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Zimbabwe and Germany stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
6.7
DE
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
DE
3.3

Germany performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

ZW
$63
DE
$8,826
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.7
DE
45.2

Germany 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

ZW
56.0
DE
15.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
DE
6.9t

Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though Germany leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZW
1.3
DE
45.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
DE
35.4%

Germany performs significantly 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

ZW
8.8%
DE
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,500
DE
$61,900

Germany performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZW
63.3 yrs
DE
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
28.5
DE
3.2

Germany performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

See full quality of life comparison

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Berlin Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
56° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Berlin
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 64°/47°F (18°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 72°/55°F (22°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 47°/37°F (8°/3°C)
View all months
Month Harare Berlin
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, Deutscher Wetterdienst Deutscher Wetterdienst

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Germany

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

Germany passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Germany?

With 45.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Germany can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Zimbabwe and Germany.

Is Germany safe for expats?

Germany performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.

How is healthcare in Germany compared to Zimbabwe?

Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in Germany?

The official language in Germany is German. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.

Compare further: Zimbabwe vs. Germany

Quality of Life Comparison · 14 statistics
Make 17.7 times more money in Germany
→
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Germany is 2.6 times more expensive than Zimbabwe overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Zimbabwe is around the same size as Germany.
→
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At a Glance

ZW DE
Population 15,121,004 84,316,622
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) Euro (€)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language German
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +263 +49
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112