BY NATHAN GUMA AND DELIGHT GUMA
WHEN Tanatswa Matsikwa, a young man from Concession, Zimbabwe, left Zimbabwe for school in Zambia, his ambition was to get an education.
But his exit from the country has also made him the envy of many, as he can now explore opportunities outside the country for a change.
For many, leaving the country is a ticket to a good life and greener pastures, with an array of opportunities that may be difficult to find in Zimbabwe.
“Well, for starters, life in Zambia is much cheaper compared to Zimbabwe,” he told IOW Data. “The crime rate is also lower than that of Zimbabwe. Other than that, I don’t see any other difference. But now I’m finding Zambia a little bit comfortable.”
His words echo a broader truth for many Zimbabweans, to whom migration is not about chasing fortune, but escaping hardship.
Several people have been heading in several directions, some like Tanatswa, to Zambia, where he says life is cheaper and safer.
Others have been going overseas, where higher wages come with heavy bills and relentless work.
According to data from a 2024 Afrobarometer survey, several Zimbabweans have been contemplating leaving the country, with interest increasing dramatically with education.
The main preferred destination has been South Africa, where an estimated three million Zimbabweans have emigrated.
The survey also shows that Zimbabweans who are neither working nor looking for work (35%) are half as likely as part-time and full-time workers (67%-70%) and unemployed adults (69%) to report having contemplated leaving the country.
Thoughts of joining the diaspora have been more common among men (63%) than women (53%) and among urban residents (65%) than their rural counterparts (53%).
For instance, Clare Mubaiwa, a nurse based in Arizona, once based in Concession, in rural Mazowe, Zimbabwe, says life is much better than Zimbabwe, despite the high cost of living.
Safe but Costly
“For me, I will say security,” Mubaiwa says. “The security here is tight as compared to Zimbabwe, and I think that’s a good thing. I don’t think the security in Zimbabwe is actually security.”
“In the US, pay depends on the job and the state. It can range from $7 an hour in smaller states to $14 in California or Arizona – even up to $100 for skilled professionals. On paper, those wages look life-changing. But daily life drains quickly.”
She says while rent is high in Arizona, it is affordable when you have a stable job.
“A two-bedroom apartment in Arizona costs about $1,500. Food for a family of four runs around $1,200 a month. Fuel averages $3 a gallon. And without health insurance, a single emergency room visit can cost $5,000 – sometimes more.
Even gadgets take time to buy. For instance, she says it would probably take three months to afford an iPhone 16, after paying bills and everything else.
“I bought my iPhone 13 Pro Max two years ago, and it was $1,200 back then,” she says.
In Zimbabwe, for example, one would need 15 months, while paying monthly instalments of $83 per month from a net salary of $353.
“Work, too, looks different. In the US, full-time means at least 40 hours a week. Anything less is part-time, which rarely covers rent and food. Education is expensive, though financial aid programmes allow students to study now and pay back later.
According to data by data portal Numbeo, the cost of living in Zimbabwe is 46.7% lower than that of the United States, taking into account daily spending without rent.
With those included, the cost of living in Zimbabwe is 57.3% lower than that of the United States.
While basic commodities may seem expensive in the US, the standards of living have nevertheless been higher.
Economist Vivid Gwede says the high standards of living stem from higher productivity and income.
“The advanced countries have relatively higher prices and cost of living than developing countries. However their standards of living are also higher because of higher productivity and wages. So the higher cost structure is offset by the higher incomes,” he said.
For Matsikwa, leaving the country is a ticket to a good life and greener pastures, with an array of opportunities that may be difficult to find in Zimbabwe.
“After finishing my education, I have seen how easier it is to get opportunities over here than I can back home,” he says.
The story was first published by IOW Data
