Moving to Zambia from Botswana
What to Expect
Considering a move from Botswana to Zambia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Botswana to Zambia.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Botswana to Zambia.
Who's moving to Zambia?
Top countries of origin for Zambia's foreign-born residents.
- 50,661
- 31,424
- 16,816
- 13,422
- 10,460
- 9,202
- · · ·
-
15.1,130
Botswana
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Zambia compared to Botswana.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Botswana generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate.
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
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Zambia performs significantly better than Botswana across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Botswana performs better than Zambia across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Zambia leads in unemployment 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
Botswana generally does better on family life, though Zambia 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Gaborone | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Gaborone | Lusaka |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) |
| Feb | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) |
| Mar | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) |
| May | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) |
| Jun | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) |
| Jul | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) |
| Aug | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) |
| Sep | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) |
| Oct | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) |
| Nov | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) |
Data:
Botswana Meteorological Services,
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Botswana and Zambia. To live, work, or study long-term in Zambia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Zambia's immigration authority.
Botswana passport holder visiting Zambia
Visa Free
Zambia 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 Zambia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Zambia: 0.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Zambia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Zambia safe for expats?
Botswana generally does better on safety, though Zambia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Zambia is 5.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 10.6 in Botswana.
How is healthcare in Zambia compared to Botswana?
Zambia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 2.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Zambia, compared to 3.8 in Botswana. Zambia scores 56 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Botswana: 55).
What's the weather like in Zambia compared to Botswana?
The average high temperature in Lusaka is 80°F, compared to 83°F in Gaborone. Lusaka receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Gaborone gets 21.7 in.
What language do they speak in Zambia?
The official language in Zambia is English. In Botswana, the official languages are English and Tswana.
