Moving to Rwanda from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zimbabwe to Rwanda? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Rwanda. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Rwanda compared to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Rwanda 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
Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in adult obesity rate.
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 Rwanda leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Zimbabwe generally does better on infrastructure, though Rwanda leads in water stress level.
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
Zimbabwe generally does better on employment & economy, though Rwanda 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Rwanda generally does better on family life, though Zimbabwe leads in literacy rate.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Kigali |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Kigali |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
Rwanda Meteorology Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe and Rwanda. To live, work, or study long-term in Rwanda, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Rwanda's immigration authority.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Rwanda
Visa Free
Rwanda 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
Can I work remotely from Rwanda?
Connectivity is usually fine (Rwanda: 0.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Rwanda offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Rwanda safe for expats?
Rwanda performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Rwanda is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Rwanda compared to Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in adult obesity rate. There are 1.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Rwanda, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Rwanda scores 49 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Rwanda compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Kigali is 80°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Kigali receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Rwanda?
The official languages in Rwanda are English, French and Kinyarwanda. 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. Rwanda
At a Glance
ZW
|
RW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,121,004 | 13,173,730 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Rwandan Franc (RWF) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | English, French, Kinyarwanda |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +263 | +250 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 112 |