Moving to Malaysia from Botswana

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Botswana to Malaysia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Botswana to Malaysia.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Botswana to Malaysia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
10.6
MY
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
MY
13.9

Malaysia 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
MY
$1,441
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
MY
23.2

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana 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
MY
63.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
MY
8.3t

Botswana performs better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
4.2
MY
12.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
MY
3.4%

Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Botswana 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%
MY
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
MY
$33,600

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BW
65.6 yrs
MY
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
MY
6.6

Malaysia generally does better on family life, though Botswana leads in education spending.

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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Kuala Lumpur
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 91°/73°F (33°/23°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 91°/75°F (33°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 90°/74°F (32°/23°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 89°/74°F (32°/23°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Kuala Lumpur
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°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) 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Malaysia

Visa Free
Botswana passport holders can enter Malaysia without a visa.
Malaysia passport

Malaysia passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Free
Malaysia 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 Malaysia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malaysia has 12.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Malaysia safe for expats?

Malaysia performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Malaysia is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Malaysia compared to Botswana?

Malaysia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Malaysia, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Malaysia scores 76 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Kuala Lumpur is 90°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Kuala Lumpur receives around 95.6 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Malaysia?

The official languages in Malaysia are English and Malay. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW MY
Population 2,384,246 33,871,431
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
Languages English, Tswana English, Malay
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +267 +60
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 999