Moving to Botswana from Burundi

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Burundi to Botswana — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Burundi 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Burundi and Botswana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BI
5.8
BW
10.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BI
12.3
BW
16.5

Burundi 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

BI
$100
BW
$1,310
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BI
0.6
BW
3.8

Burundi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana 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

BI
71.0
BW
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BI
0.1t
BW
2.7t

Burundi generally does better on environment, though Botswana leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BI
0.0
BW
4.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BI
10.2%
BW
2.4%

Botswana performs significantly better than Burundi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BI
0.9%
BW
23.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BI
$900
BW
$17,500

Burundi generally does better on employment & economy, though Botswana leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BI
67.4 yrs
BW
65.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BI
37.8
BW
25.2

Botswana generally does better on family life, though Burundi leads in life expectancy.

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bujumbura Rain: 30.9 in/yr (786 mm)
85° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bujumbura Gaborone
Jan–Mar 85°/67°F (29°/19°C) 88°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 86°/66°F (30°/19°C) 77°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 79°/47°F (26°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 85°/66°F (29°/19°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
View all months
Month Bujumbura Gaborone
Jan 84°/67°F (29.1°/19.2°C) 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C)
Feb 85°/67°F (29.7°/19.3°C) 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C)
Mar 85°/67°F (29.3°/19.3°C) 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C)
Apr 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C)
May 86°/66°F (29.9°/19.1°C) 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C)
Jun 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.6°C) 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C)
Jul 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.2°C) 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 86°/63°F (30.0°/17.4°C) 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C)
Sep 88°/65°F (30.9°/18.6°C) 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C)
Oct 86°/66°F (30.1°/19.1°C) 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C)
Nov 84°/66°F (29.1°/19.1°C) 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C)
Dec 84°/66°F (28.9°/19.1°C) 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU) Institut Géographique du Burundi (IGEBU), Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Burundi 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.

Burundi passport

Burundi passport holder visiting Botswana

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

Botswana passport holder visiting Burundi

Visa on Arrival
Botswana passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Burundi.

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?

With 4.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Botswana can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Burundi and Botswana.

Is Botswana safe for expats?

Burundi performs better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Botswana is 10.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in Burundi.

How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Burundi?

Burundi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Botswana, compared to 0.6 in Burundi. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Burundi: 41).

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

The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 85°F in Bujumbura. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Bujumbura gets 30.9 in.

What language do they speak in Botswana?

The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Burundi, the official languages are French and Kirundi.

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At a Glance

BI BW
Population 12,696,478 2,384,246
Currency Burundian Franc (BIF) Botswanan Pula (BWP)
Languages French, Kirundi English, Tswana
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +257 +267
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999