Moving to Gambia from Botswana
What to Expect
Considering a move from Botswana to Gambia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Botswana to Gambia. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Gambia compared to Botswana.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Botswana performs better than Gambia 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Botswana generally does better on environment, though Gambia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
share of households with internet
Botswana generally does better on infrastructure, though Gambia leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Gambia leads in unemployment rate.
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 Gambia 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 | Gaborone | Banjul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) | 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) |
View all months
| Month | Gaborone | Banjul |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) | 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) |
| Feb | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) | 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) |
| Mar | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) |
| Apr | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) | 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) |
| May | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) | 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) |
| Jun | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) | 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) |
| Jul | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) | 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) |
| Aug | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) |
| Sep | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) | 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) |
| Oct | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) | 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) |
| Nov | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) | 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) |
| Dec | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) |
Data:
Botswana Meteorological Services,
Department of Water Resources
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana and Gambia. To live, work, or study long-term in Gambia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Gambia's immigration authority.
Botswana passport holder visiting Gambia
Visa Free
Gambia passport holder visiting Botswana
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Gambia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Gambia: 0.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Gambia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Gambia safe for expats?
Botswana performs better than Gambia across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Gambia compared to Botswana?
Gambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Gambia, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Gambia scores 46 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).
What's the weather like in Gambia compared to Botswana?
The average high temperature in Banjul is 90°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Banjul receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.
What language do they speak in Gambia?
The official language in Gambia is English. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.
