Moving to Kenya from Botswana
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Botswana to Kenya — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Botswana to Kenya. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nairobi averages 74°F vs 83°F in Gaborone, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Botswana and Kenya stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Botswana generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate.
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
Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Kenya performs significantly better than Botswana across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Botswana performs better than Kenya across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Kenya 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 Kenya leads in life expectancy.
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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Gaborone | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Gaborone | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) |
| Mar | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) |
| May | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) |
| Aug | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) |
| Sep | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) |
| Nov | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) |
| Dec | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) |
Data:
Botswana Meteorological Services,
Kenya Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana and Kenya. To live, work, or study long-term in Kenya, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kenya's immigration authority.
Botswana passport holder visiting Kenya
Visa Free
Kenya 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 Kenya?
With 1.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Kenya 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 Kenya.
Is Kenya safe for expats?
Botswana generally does better on safety, though Kenya leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.
How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Botswana?
Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).
What's the weather like in Kenya compared to Botswana?
The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.
What language do they speak in Kenya?
The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.
