Moving to Japan from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zimbabwe to Japan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Japan, you would find that Japan is 41.3% more expensive than Zimbabwe overall. A ZWL24,000,000 salary in Zimbabwe would need to be roughly ¥16,600,000 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tokyo averages 69°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Japan cheaper than Zimbabwe?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.3% more
Groceries
pay 48.0% more
Transportation
pay 8.5% less
Housing
pay 70.6% more
Childcare
pay 53.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.3% more
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 Japan?
What does your salary buy?
ZWL24,000,000 → ¥16,600,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Japan
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Zimbabwe to Japan.
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
- 775,893
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Japan compared to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs significantly 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
Japan 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 generally does better on environment, though Japan leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Japan performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in top income tax rate.
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
Japan performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Weather in Japan vs Zimbabwe
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Can you move from Zimbabwe to Japan?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Required
Japan passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Japan than Zimbabwe?
On average Japan is around 41% pricier than Zimbabwe, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Budget about ¥4,150,000 for 3 months in Japan (based on a ZWL24,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Japan?
Connectivity is usually fine (Japan: 38.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Japan offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Japan safe for expats?
Japan performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to Zimbabwe?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 1.4 in Zimbabwe. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. 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. Japan
At a Glance
ZW
|
JP
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,950,795 | 123,366,734 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Japanese Yen (¥) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | Japanese |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +263 | +81 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 110 |