Moving to Latvia from Zimbabwe

moving to

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, 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Zimbabwe to Latvia.

Moved in 2020
1

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

Who's moving to Latvia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to Zimbabwe.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
6.7
LV
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
LV
9.8

Latvia performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZW
$63
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.7
LV
33.8

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZW
56.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
LV
3.6t

Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though Latvia 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
LV
26.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
LV
1.1%

Latvia 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%
LV
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,500
LV
$37,800

Latvia 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
LV
75.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
28.5
LV
4.8

Latvia 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

Riga Rain: 24.9 in/yr (633 mm)
50° / 36°F

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 Meteorological Services Department, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Latvia

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

Latvia passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa on Arrival
Latvia 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 Latvia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Latvia: 26.4 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 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 1.7 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

Quality of Life Comparison · 16 statistics
Make 10.8 times more money in Latvia
→
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Latvia is 86.2% more expensive than Zimbabwe overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Zimbabwe is about 6 times bigger than Latvia.
→
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At a Glance

ZW LV
Population 15,121,004 1,842,226
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