Moving to Namibia from Zimbabwe

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Zimbabwe to Namibia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Zimbabwe to Namibia.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Zimbabwe to Namibia, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
15,135 ↑ 7% vs 2015

people born in Zimbabwe live in Namibia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Namibia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Zimbabwe to Namibia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
6.7
NA
12.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
NA
22.0

Zimbabwe generally does better on safety, though Namibia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ZW
$63
NA
$1,068
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.7
NA
5.4

Namibia 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
NA
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
NA
1.2t

Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though Namibia 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
NA
3.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
NA
0.9%

Namibia 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%
NA
19.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,500
NA
$11,500

Namibia generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZW
63.3 yrs
NA
66.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
28.5
NA
29.4

Namibia generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in infant mortality.

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

Windhoek Rain: 14.5 in/yr (368 mm)
80° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Windhoek
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 84°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 74°/50°F (23°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 76°/49°F (24°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 87°/61°F (30°/16°C)
View all months
Month Harare Windhoek
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.7°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 84°/63°F (28.7°/17.0°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/15.9°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 78°/55°F (25.8°/12.9°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 74°/50°F (23.4°/9.8°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 69°/44°F (20.7°/6.9°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 70°/44°F (21.2°/6.9°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 75°/48°F (23.8°/8.9°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 82°/54°F (27.5°/12.4°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 85°/58°F (29.3°/14.7°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 86°/61°F (30.2°/16.2°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 89°/63°F (31.4°/17.2°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, Namibia Meteorological Service Namibia Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Namibia

Visa Free
Zimbabwe passport holders can enter Namibia without a visa.
Namibia passport

Namibia passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa Free
Namibia passport holders can enter Zimbabwe without a visa.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Namibia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Namibia has 3.9 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 Namibia safe for expats?

Zimbabwe generally does better on safety, though Namibia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Namibia is 12.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.

How is healthcare in Namibia compared to Zimbabwe?

Namibia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 5.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Namibia, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Namibia scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Windhoek is 80°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Windhoek receives around 14.5 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in Namibia?

The official languages in Namibia are Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga and Tswana. 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.

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At a Glance

ZW NA
Population 15,121,004 2,727,409
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) Namibian Dollar (NAD)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language Afrikaans, English, German, Herero, Khoekhoe, Kwangali, Lozi, Ndonga, Tswana
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +263 +264
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 10111