Moving to United States from Zimbabwe

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Zimbabwe to United States — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Zimbabwe to United States. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Zimbabwe to United States, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
1,370 ↑ 3% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to United States?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Zimbabwe and United States stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
6.7
US
6.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ZW
29.9
US
14.2

United States 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
$63
US
$13,473
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ZW
1.7
US
36.1

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

ZW
56.0
US
14.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ZW
0.8t
US
13.6t

Zimbabwe generally does better on environment, though United States 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
US
37.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ZW
46.1%
US
28.2%

United States 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%
US
3.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ZW
$3,500
US
$73,600

United States performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ZW
63.3 yrs
US
80.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ZW
28.5
US
5.2

United States performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.

See full quality of life comparison

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

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Harare Washington
Jan–Mar 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) 75°/51°F (24°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 85°/62°F (29°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 57°/35°F (14°/2°C)
View all months
Month Harare Washington
Jan 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C)
Feb 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C)
Mar 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C)
Apr 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C)
May 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C)
Jun 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C)
Jul 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C)
Aug 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C)
Sep 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C)
Oct 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C)
Nov 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C)
Dec 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C)

Data: Meteorological Services Department Meteorological Services Department, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Zimbabwe passport

Zimbabwe passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Zimbabwe passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Zimbabwe

Visa on Arrival
United States 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 United States?

With 37.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Zimbabwe and United States.

Is United States safe for expats?

United States performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Zimbabwe.

How is healthcare in United States compared to Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 1.7 in Zimbabwe. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).

What's the weather like in United States compared to Zimbabwe?

The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.

What language do they speak in United States?

The official language in United States is English. 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. United States

Quality of Life Comparison · 13 statistics
Make 21.0 times more money in United States
→
Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
United States is 2.9 times more expensive than Zimbabwe overall
→
Size Comparison · See true size
Zimbabwe is about 25 times smaller than United States.
→
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At a Glance

ZW US
Population 15,121,004 337,341,954
Currency Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language English
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +263 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 999 911