Moving to Spain from Zimbabwe

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Zimbabwe to Spain, you would find that Spain is 83.0% more expensive than Zimbabwe overall. A ZWL24,000,000 salary in Zimbabwe would need to be roughly €122,000 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Madrid averages 68°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Zimbabwe and Spain.

What does your salary buy?

ZWL24,000,000 → €122,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.4 times more

Groceries

pay 30.9% more

Transportation

pay 0.8% more

Housing

pay 2.8 times more

Childcare

pay 47.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 35.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ZWL = 0.0028 EUR (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2019
29 ↑ 123% vs 2018

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

Who's moving to Spain?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Spain compared to Zimbabwe.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
6.8
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
ES
3.5

Spain 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
$103
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.4
ES
42.9

Spain 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
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
ES
4.5t

Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though Spain leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ZW
1.9
ES
39.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
ES
43.2%

Spain performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

ZW
9.3%
ES
10.4%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,021
ES
$38,627

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

ZW
63.1 yrs
ES
83.9 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
62.4
ES
2.6

Spain 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), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), Agencia Tributaria, Spain (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

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

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Madrid
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Harare Madrid
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Spain

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

Spain passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa on Arrival
Spain 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

Is it cheaper to live in Spain than Zimbabwe?

On average Spain is around 83% pricier than Zimbabwe, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Budget about €30,500 for 3 months in Spain (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 Spain?

Connectivity is usually fine (Spain: 39.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Spain offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Zimbabwe.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Zimbabwe?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 1.4 in Zimbabwe. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. 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 ES
Population 16,950,795 49,355,143
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) Euro (€)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +263 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 999 112