Moving to Botswana from Bulgaria

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Bulgaria to Botswana, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Tswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Gaborone averages 83°F vs 59°F in Sofia, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Botswana compared to Bulgaria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BG
1.1
BW
11.4
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BG
8.4
BW
16.5

Bulgaria performs better than Botswana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BG
$2,970
BW
$1,310
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BG
43.3
BW
3.8

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BG
63.0
BW
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BG
5.3t
BW
2.7t

Botswana performs significantly better than Bulgaria across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BG
37.0
BW
7.4
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BG
40.2%
BW
2.2%

Bulgaria generally does better on infrastructure, though Botswana leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BG
3.5%
BW
24.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BG
$20,328
BW
$7,778

Bulgaria generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BG
75.8 yrs
BW
69.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BG
4.6
BW
32.1

Bulgaria generally does better on family life, though Botswana leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2015–2021), National Revenue Agency, Bulgaria (2016), Botswana Unified Revenue Service (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Botswana vs Bulgaria

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Sofia Rain: 22.5 in/yr (571 mm)
59° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Sofia Gaborone
Jan–Mar 42°/28°F (6°/-2°C) 88°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/48°F (20°/9°C) 77°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 79°/47°F (26°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
View all months
Month Sofia Gaborone
Jan 36°/23°F (2.2°/-4.9°C) 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C)
Feb 41°/27°F (4.9°/-2.9°C) 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C)
Mar 50°/33°F (9.8°/0.3°C) 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C)
Apr 60°/41°F (15.7°/4.8°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C)
May 69°/48°F (20.3°/9.0°C) 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C)
Jun 74°/54°F (23.5°/12.1°C) 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C)
Jul 79°/57°F (25.9°/13.8°C) 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 79°/56°F (26.0°/13.4°C) 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C)
Sep 73°/51°F (22.6°/10.4°C) 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C)
Oct 62°/42°F (16.6°/5.7°C) 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C)
Nov 49°/34°F (9.6°/1.2°C) 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C)
Dec 39°/27°F (4.1°/-2.7°C) 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services

Can you move from Bulgaria to Botswana?

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

Bulgaria passport

Bulgaria passport holder visiting Botswana

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

Botswana passport holder visiting Bulgaria

Visa Required
Botswana passport holders need a visa to enter Bulgaria.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Botswana?

Connectivity is usually fine (Botswana: 7.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Botswana offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Botswana safe for expats?

Bulgaria performs better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Botswana is 11.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Bulgaria.

How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Bulgaria?

Botswana generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Bulgaria leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Botswana, compared to 43.3 in Bulgaria. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Bulgaria: 73).

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

The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 59°F in Sofia. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sofia gets 22.5 in.

What language do they speak in Botswana?

The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Bulgaria, the official language is Bulgarian.

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At a Glance

BG BW
Population 6,433,302 2,562,122
Currency Bulgarian Lev (BGN) Botswanan Pula (BWP)
Languages Bulgarian English, Tswana
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +359 +267
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999