Moving to Rwanda from Botswana

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Botswana to Rwanda. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
10.6
RW
3.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
RW
11.6

Rwanda 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
RW
$177
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
RW
1.2

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda 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
RW
62.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
RW
0.2t

Botswana generally does better on environment, though Rwanda leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BW
4.2
RW
0.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
RW
20.2%

Botswana performs better than Rwanda across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BW
23.4%
RW
14.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
RW
$3,000

Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Rwanda leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BW
65.6 yrs
RW
65.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
RW
26.4

Botswana generally does better on family life, though Rwanda 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Kigali
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 79°/61°F (26°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 82°/60°F (28°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 80°/60°F (27°/16°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Kigali
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Rwanda

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

Rwanda passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Rwanda passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Botswana.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Rwanda?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Rwanda has 0.3 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 Rwanda safe for expats?

Rwanda performs significantly better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Rwanda is 3.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Rwanda compared to Botswana?

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rwanda leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Rwanda, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Rwanda scores 49 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Kigali is 80°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Kigali receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Rwanda?

The official languages in Rwanda are English, French and Kinyarwanda. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW RW
Population 2,384,246 13,173,730
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Rwandan Franc (RWF)
Languages English, Tswana English, French, Kinyarwanda
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +267 +250
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 112