Moving to New Zealand from Botswana

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Botswana to New Zealand — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Botswana to New Zealand. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Wellington averages 62°F vs 83°F in Gaborone, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Botswana to New Zealand, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
15 ↑ 25% vs 2022

people moved from Botswana to New Zealand · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to New Zealand?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Botswana and New Zealand stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
NZ
6.6

New Zealand performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BW
$1,310
NZ
$5,576
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
NZ
35.7

New Zealand 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
NZ
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
NZ
6.0t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
4.2
NZ
35.9
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
NZ
8.1%

New Zealand 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%
NZ
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
NZ
$48,800

New Zealand 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
NZ
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
NZ
3.4

New Zealand 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

Wellington Rain: 37.7 in/yr (957 mm)
62° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Wellington
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 69°/58°F (21°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 59°/49°F (15°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 56°/46°F (13°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 64°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Wellington
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, New Zealand National Meteorological Service New Zealand National Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting New Zealand

Visa Required
Botswana passport holders need a visa to enter New Zealand.
New Zealand passport

New Zealand passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Free
New Zealand 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 New Zealand?

With 35.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, New Zealand 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 New Zealand.

Is New Zealand safe for expats?

New Zealand performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in New Zealand is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in New Zealand compared to Botswana?

New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 35.7 doctors per 10,000 people in New Zealand, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. New Zealand scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

What's the weather like in New Zealand compared to Botswana?

The average high temperature in Wellington is 62°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Wellington receives around 37.7 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in New Zealand?

The official languages in New Zealand are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW NZ
Population 2,384,246 5,053,004
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) New Zealand Dollar (NZ$)
Languages English, Tswana English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +267 +64
Time zones 1 5
Emergency number 999 111