Moving to Latvia from Botswana

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Botswana to Latvia, and you’d need to navigate life in Latvian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riga averages 50°F vs 83°F in Gaborone, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Botswana to Latvia.

Living there in 2015
1

people born in Botswana live in Latvia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Latvia?

Top countries of origin for Latvia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Latvia compared to Botswana.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BW
11.4
LV
2.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
LV
9.8

Latvia 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
LV
$3,034
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
LV
34.0

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BW
55.0
LV
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
LV
3.6t

Botswana generally does better on environment, though Latvia leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
7.4
LV
25.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.2%
LV
1.0%

Latvia performs significantly better than Botswana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BW
24.5%
LV
6.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$7,778
LV
$26,312

Latvia generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BW
69.3 yrs
LV
76.4 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
32.1
LV
2.2

Latvia 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 (2015–2021), Botswana Unified Revenue Service (2016), State Revenue Service, Latvia (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Latvia vs Botswana

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Riga Rain: 24.9 in/yr (633 mm)
50° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Riga
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 31°/20°F (0°/-7°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 60°/42°F (15°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 67°/51°F (20°/11°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 41°/31°F (5°/0°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Riga
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 28°/18°F (-2.3°/-7.8°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 29°/18°F (-1.7°/-7.6°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 37°/24°F (2.7°/-4.7°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.0°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 61°/43°F (16.2°/5.9°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 68°/50°F (20.1°/10.0°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 71°/54°F (21.7°/12.3°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 61°/46°F (16.3°/8.0°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 51°/39°F (10.4°/4.0°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 39°/31°F (3.9°/-0.5°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.4°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre

Can you move from Botswana to Latvia?

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Latvia

Visa Required
Botswana passport holders need a visa to enter Latvia.
Latvia passport

Latvia passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Free
Latvia 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 Latvia?

Connectivity is usually fine (Latvia: 25.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Latvia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Latvia safe for expats?

Latvia performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Latvia is 2.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.4 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Latvia compared to Botswana?

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Latvia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Latvia, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Latvia scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Riga is 50°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Riga receives around 24.9 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Latvia?

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

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At a Glance

BW LV
Population 2,562,122 1,847,785
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Euro (€)
Languages English, Tswana Latvian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +267 +371
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112