Moving to Latvia from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zimbabwe to Latvia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Latvia, you would find that Latvia is 34.1% more expensive than Zimbabwe overall. A ZWL24,000,000 salary in Zimbabwe would need to be roughly €88,900 in Latvia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°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 Latvia cheaper than Zimbabwe?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 72.0% more
Groceries
pay 5.3% more
Transportation
pay 5.2% less
Housing
pay 36.5% more
Childcare
pay 94.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 52.1% 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 Latvia?
What does your salary buy?
ZWL24,000,000 → €88,900
To maintain the same standard of living in Latvia
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Latvia
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Zimbabwe to Latvia.
Who's moving to Latvia?
Top countries of origin for Latvia's foreign-born residents.
- 116,771
- 42,251
- 32,262
- 14,209
- 5,651
- 3,712
- · · ·
-
106.2
Zimbabwe
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Latvia 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
Latvia 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 Latvia 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
Latvia 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
Latvia performs significantly 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
Latvia 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), The World Factbook (2021), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Latvia vs Zimbabwe
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 60°/42°F (15°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 67°/51°F (20°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Riga |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre
Can you move from Zimbabwe to Latvia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe and Latvia. To live, work, or study long-term in Latvia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Latvia's immigration authority.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Latvia
Visa Required
Latvia 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 Latvia than Zimbabwe?
On average Latvia is around 34% pricier than Zimbabwe, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Latvia?
Budget about €22,225 for 3 months in Latvia (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 Latvia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Latvia: 25.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Latvia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Latvia safe for expats?
Latvia performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Zimbabwe?
Latvia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 1.4 in Zimbabwe. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Latvia compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Latvia?
The official language in Latvia is Latvian. 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. Latvia
At a Glance
ZW
|
LV
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,950,795 | 1,847,785 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Euro (€) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | Latvian |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +263 | +371 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 112 |