Moving to Portugal from Botswana
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Botswana to Portugal — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Botswana to Portugal, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 83°F in Gaborone, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Botswana and Portugal stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics.
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
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana 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
Botswana generally does better on environment, though Portugal leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Botswana leads in water stress level.
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
Portugal generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in top income tax 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
Portugal 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Gaborone | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Gaborone | Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) |
| Feb | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) |
| Mar | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) |
| Apr | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) |
| May | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) |
| Jun | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) |
| Jul | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Aug | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) |
| Sep | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) |
| Oct | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) |
| Nov | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) |
| Dec | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) |
Data:
Botswana Meteorological Services,
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana and Portugal. To live, work, or study long-term in Portugal, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Portugal's immigration authority.
Botswana passport holder visiting Portugal
Visa Required
Portugal 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 Portugal?
With 43.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Portugal 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 Portugal.
Is Portugal safe for expats?
Portugal performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.
How is healthcare in Portugal compared to Botswana?
Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).
What's the weather like in Portugal compared to Botswana?
The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.
What language do they speak in Portugal?
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.
