Moving to Swaziland from Botswana

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Botswana to Swaziland? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Botswana to Swaziland. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lobamba averages 72°F vs 83°F in Gaborone, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Botswana to Swaziland.

Living there in 2020
39 ↓ 5% vs 2015

people born in Botswana live in Swaziland · UN DESA

Who's moving to Swaziland?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Swaziland compared to Botswana.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
10.6
SZ
12.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BW
16.5
SZ
24.7

Botswana performs better than Swaziland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BW
$1,310
SZ
$922
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BW
3.8
SZ
15.9

Swaziland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in suicide rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BW
55.0
SZ
66.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BW
2.7t
SZ
0.9t

Botswana generally does better on environment, though Swaziland 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
SZ
2.3
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BW
2.4%
SZ
77.6%

Botswana performs better than Swaziland 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%
SZ
37.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BW
$17,500
SZ
$10,600

Botswana performs better than Swaziland across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BW
65.6 yrs
SZ
59.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BW
25.2
SZ
39.6

Botswana performs better than Swaziland across all family life metrics.

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

Lobamba Rain: 56.8 in/yr (1442 mm)
72° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Gaborone Lobamba
Jan–Mar 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) 76°/58°F (24°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) 70°/46°F (21°/8°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) 71°/44°F (21°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 73°/55°F (23°/13°C)
View all months
Month Gaborone Lobamba
Jan 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) 77°/59°F (24.9°/14.9°C)
Feb 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) 76°/58°F (24.5°/14.5°C)
Mar 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) 75°/56°F (24.1°/13.4°C)
Apr 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) 73°/52°F (22.6°/11.0°C)
May 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) 71°/46°F (21.4°/7.9°C)
Jun 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) 67°/40°F (19.3°/4.7°C)
Jul 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) 68°/40°F (19.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) 70°/44°F (21.3°/6.6°C)
Sep 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) 74°/49°F (23.2°/9.5°C)
Oct 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) 73°/52°F (22.8°/11.3°C)
Nov 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) 72°/55°F (22.5°/12.9°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services, Eswatini Meteorological Service Eswatini Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Swaziland

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

Swaziland passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Free
Swaziland 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 Swaziland?

Connectivity is usually fine (Swaziland: 2.3 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Swaziland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Swaziland safe for expats?

Botswana performs better than Swaziland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Swaziland is 12.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.

How is healthcare in Swaziland compared to Botswana?

Swaziland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in suicide rate. There are 15.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Swaziland, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Swaziland scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Lobamba is 72°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Lobamba receives around 56.8 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.

What language do they speak in Swaziland?

The official languages in Swaziland are English and Swazi. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.

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At a Glance

BW SZ
Population 2,384,246 1,121,761
Currency Botswanan Pula (BWP) Swazi Lilangeni (SZL)
Languages English, Tswana English, Swazi
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +267 +268
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999