Moving to Barbados from Botswana

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Botswana to Barbados — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Botswana to Barbados.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Botswana to Barbados.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BW
11.4
BB
7.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
BB
10.0

Barbados performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BW
$1,310
BB
$1,153
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
BB
29.6

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BW
55.0
BB
19.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
BB
2.5t

Barbados performs significantly better than Botswana across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
7.4
BB
37.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.2%
BB
87.5%

Barbados generally does better on infrastructure, though Botswana leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BW
24.5%
BB
6.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$7,778
BB
$28,365

Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Barbados leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BW
69.3 yrs
BB
76.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
32.1
BB
9.1

Barbados generally does better on family life, though Botswana leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2014–2015), Botswana Unified Revenue Service (2016), Ministry of Finance, Barbados (2016). How we calculate this

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Barbados

Visa Free
Botswana passport holders can enter Barbados without a visa.
Barbados passport

Barbados passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Free
Barbados passport holders can enter Botswana without a 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 Barbados?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Barbados has 37.5 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 Barbados safe for expats?

Barbados performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Barbados is 7.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.4 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Barbados compared to Botswana?

Barbados generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in adult obesity rate. There are 29.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Barbados, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Barbados scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

What language do they speak in Barbados?

The official language in Barbados is English. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW BB
Population 2,562,122 282,623
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Barbadian Dollar (BBD)
Languages English, Tswana English
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +267 +1246
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 —