Moving to Colombia from Botswana

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Botswana to Colombia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Botswana to Colombia, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bogota averages 61°F vs 83°F in Gaborone, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Botswana and Colombia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BW
10.6
CO
25.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
CO
16.2

Botswana generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BW
$1,310
CO
$1,758
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
CO
24.5

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BW
55.0
CO
24.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
CO
1.8t

Colombia performs significantly better than Botswana across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
4.2
CO
17.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
CO
4.4%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BW
23.4%
CO
9.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
CO
$18,800

Colombia generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BW
65.6 yrs
CO
74.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
CO
11.7

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

Data: Botswana Unified Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Gaborone Rain: 21.7 in/yr (552 mm)
83° / 56°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bogota Rain: 31.5 in/yr (799 mm)
61° / 45°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Bogota
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 61°/47°F (16°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 60°/45°F (15°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 61°/45°F (16°/7°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Bogota
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Colombia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Botswana passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Colombia.
Colombia passport

Colombia passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Colombia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Botswana.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Colombia?

With 17.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Colombia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Botswana and Colombia.

Is Colombia safe for expats?

Botswana generally does better on safety, though Colombia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Colombia is 25.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Botswana?

Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 24.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

What's the weather like in Colombia compared to Botswana?

The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Colombia?

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

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At a Glance

BW CO
Population 2,384,246 49,059,221
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Colombian Peso (COP)
Languages English, Tswana Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +267 +57
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 123