Moving to Botswana from Ghana

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ghana to Botswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

GH
1.8
BW
10.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GH
25.9
BW
16.5

Ghana generally does better on safety, though Botswana leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GH
$234
BW
$1,310
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GH
1.4
BW
3.8

Ghana 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

GH
89.0
BW
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GH
0.7t
BW
2.7t

Ghana 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

GH
0.6
BW
4.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GH
6.3%
BW
2.4%

Botswana performs significantly better than Ghana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GH
3.1%
BW
23.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GH
$6,700
BW
$17,500

Ghana 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

GH
69.4 yrs
BW
65.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GH
32.6
BW
25.2

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

Data: Ghana Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Accra Rain: 29.2 in/yr (741 mm)
88° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Accra Gaborone
Jan–Mar 91°/76°F (33°/25°C) 88°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/24°C) 77°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/74°F (29°/23°C) 79°/47°F (26°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/75°F (32°/24°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
View all months
Month Accra Gaborone
Jan 90°/75°F (32.4°/24.1°C) 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C)
Feb 92°/77°F (33.1°/25.0°C) 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C)
Mar 91°/77°F (33.0°/25.1°C) 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C)
Apr 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.1°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C)
May 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.4°C) 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.7°/23.6°C) 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C)
Jul 83°/74°F (28.4°/23.1°C) 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.3°/22.7°C) 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.1°C) 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C)
Oct 88°/74°F (31.0°/23.5°C) 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C)
Nov 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.2°C) 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C)
Dec 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.3°C) 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: Ghana Meteorological Agency Ghana Meteorological Agency, Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ghana 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.

Ghana passport

Ghana passport holder visiting Botswana

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

Botswana passport holder visiting Ghana

Visa Free
Botswana passport holders can enter Ghana 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 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 Ghana and Botswana.

Is Botswana safe for expats?

Ghana generally does better on safety, though Botswana leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Botswana is 10.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Ghana.

How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Ghana?

Ghana 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 1.4 in Ghana. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ghana: 48).

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

The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 88°F in Accra. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Accra gets 29.2 in.

What language do they speak in Botswana?

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

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At a Glance

GH BW
Population 33,107,275 2,384,246
Currency Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) Botswanan Pula (BWP)
Languages English English, Tswana
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +233 +267
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999