Moving to Malawi from Botswana
What to Expect
Considering a move from Botswana to Malawi? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Botswana to Malawi.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Malawi compared to Botswana.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Botswana generally does better on safety, though Malawi 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 Malawi 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
Malawi 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
Botswana performs better than Malawi 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 Malawi 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 Malawi 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 | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Gaborone | Lilongwe |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) |
| Feb | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) |
| Mar | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) |
| Apr | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) |
| May | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) |
| Jul | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) |
| Aug | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) |
| Sep | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) |
| Oct | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) |
| Nov | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) |
Data:
Botswana Meteorological Services,
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana and Malawi. To live, work, or study long-term in Malawi, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Malawi's immigration authority.
Botswana passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa Free
Malawi 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 Malawi?
Connectivity is usually fine (Malawi: 0.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Malawi offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Malawi safe for expats?
Botswana generally does better on safety, though Malawi leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Malawi is 1.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.
How is healthcare in Malawi compared to Botswana?
Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malawi leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).
What's the weather like in Malawi compared to Botswana?
The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.
What language do they speak in Malawi?
The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.
