Moving to Botswana from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Botswana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Botswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Gaborone averages 83°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from California to Botswana, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Botswana.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Botswana performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than Botswana across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs better than Botswana across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Botswana across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Botswana Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Botswana
Visa Free
Botswana passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Botswana?
Usually fine from major cities in Botswana. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Botswana compared to California?
Botswana performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Botswana compared to California?
The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In California, the official language is English.
