Moving to Portugal from Zimbabwe

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Zimbabwe to Portugal? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Zimbabwe to Portugal, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
1,312 ↑ 15% vs 2015

people born in Zimbabwe live in Portugal · UN DESA

Who's moving to Portugal?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Portugal compared to Zimbabwe.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
PT
7.2

Portugal 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
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.7
PT
57.7

Portugal 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
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
PT
3.3t

Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though Portugal 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
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
PT
12.3%

Portugal 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%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,500
PT
$41,700

Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Zimbabwe leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

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

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
28.5
PT
2.5

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

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

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Lisbon
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Harare Lisbon
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Portugal

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

Portugal passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa on Arrival
Portugal 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 Portugal?

Connectivity is usually fine (Portugal: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Portugal safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Zimbabwe?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. 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 PT
Population 15,121,004 10,242,081
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) Euro (€)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language Portuguese
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +263 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 999 112