Moving to Switzerland from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Zimbabwe to Switzerland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Switzerland, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bern averages 55°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Zimbabwe to Switzerland, based on official data.
people moved from Zimbabwe to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Zimbabwe to Switzerland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 Switzerland leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Switzerland performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Switzerland performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Switzerland 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Required
Switzerland 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 Switzerland?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Switzerland has 47.1 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 Switzerland safe for expats?
Switzerland performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Switzerland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. 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. Switzerland
At a Glance
ZW
|
CH
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,121,004 | 8,508,698 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Swiss Franc (CHF) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | French, Italian, Romansh, Swiss German |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +263 | +41 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 112 |