Moving to Botswana from Bhutan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Bhutan to Botswana — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Bhutan to Botswana, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Tswana. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Gaborone averages 83°F vs 72°F in Thimphu, making it significantly warmer.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Bhutan and Botswana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Bhutan performs better than Botswana 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
Bhutan performs better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Bhutan generally does better on environment, though Botswana leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
Bhutan generally does better on infrastructure, though Botswana leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Bhutan generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in gdp per capita.
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
Botswana generally does better on family life, though Bhutan leads in life expectancy.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Thimphu | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 63°/33°F (17°/1°C) | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 76°/53°F (25°/12°C) | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 68°/39°F (20°/4°C) | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Thimphu | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°/28°F (15.1°/-2.1°C) | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) |
| Feb | 62°/33°F (16.7°/0.5°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) |
| Mar | 67°/39°F (19.4°/4.0°C) | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) |
| Apr | 72°/46°F (22.4°/7.8°C) | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) |
| May | 76°/53°F (24.7°/11.5°C) | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) |
| Jun | 80°/59°F (26.7°/15.2°C) | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) |
| Jul | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.4°C) | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) |
| Aug | 81°/61°F (27.2°/16.1°C) | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) |
| Sep | 79°/58°F (26.1°/14.6°C) | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 74°/48°F (23.4°/9.0°C) | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) |
| Nov | 67°/38°F (19.7°/3.2°C) | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 62°/31°F (16.5°/-0.8°C) | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) |
Data:
National Center for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM),
Botswana Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Bhutan and Botswana. To live, work, or study long-term in Botswana, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Botswana's immigration authority.
Bhutan passport holder visiting Botswana
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Botswana passport holder visiting Bhutan
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Botswana?
With 4.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Botswana can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Bhutan and Botswana.
Is Botswana safe for expats?
Bhutan performs better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Botswana is 10.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.5 in Bhutan.
How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Bhutan?
Bhutan performs better than Botswana across all health & wellbeing metrics. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Botswana, compared to 5.5 in Bhutan. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bhutan: 60).
What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Bhutan?
The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 72°F in Thimphu. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Thimphu gets 23.3 in.
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Bhutan, the official language is Dzongkha.
