Moving to Guinea-Bissau from Botswana

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Botswana to Guinea-Bissau? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Botswana to Guinea-Bissau, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole. 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 Guinea-Bissau compared to Botswana.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
10.6
GW
1.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
GW
30.5

Botswana generally does better on safety, though Guinea-Bissau leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BW
$1,310
GW
$247
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
GW
2.1

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guinea-Bissau 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
GW
89.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
GW
0.2t

Botswana generally does better on environment, though Guinea-Bissau leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
4.2
GW
0.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
GW
1.5%

Botswana generally does better on infrastructure, though Guinea-Bissau 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%
GW
3.2%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
GW
$2,400

Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Guinea-Bissau leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BW
65.6 yrs
GW
63.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
GW
49.0

Botswana performs better than Guinea-Bissau across all family life metrics.

Data: 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

Bissau Rain: 69.1 in/yr (1756 mm)
90° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Bissau
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 92°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 91°/66°F (33°/19°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 87°/68°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 90°/69°F (32°/21°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Bissau
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.4°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.0°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 90°/63°F (32.1°/17.1°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 92°/64°F (33.4°/17.7°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.3°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 89°/68°F (31.4°/20.0°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 88°/68°F (30.9°/20.1°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.2°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 86°/67°F (30.0°/19.3°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.5°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.6°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Guinea-Bissau

Visa on Arrival
Botswana passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau.
Guinea-Bissau passport

Guinea-Bissau passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Guinea-Bissau 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 Guinea-Bissau?

Connectivity is usually fine (Guinea-Bissau: 0.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Guinea-Bissau offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Guinea-Bissau safe for expats?

Botswana generally does better on safety, though Guinea-Bissau leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Guinea-Bissau is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Guinea-Bissau compared to Botswana?

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guinea-Bissau leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 2.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Guinea-Bissau, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Guinea-Bissau scores 37 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

What's the weather like in Guinea-Bissau compared to Botswana?

The average high temperature in Bissau is 90°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Bissau receives around 69.1 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Guinea-Bissau?

The official languages in Guinea-Bissau are Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW GW
Population 2,384,246 2,026,778
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages English, Tswana Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +267 +245
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999