Moving to Botswana from Guinea-Bissau

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Guinea-Bissau 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 Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
1.1
BW
10.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GW
30.5
BW
16.5

Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
$247
BW
$1,310
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GW
2.1
BW
3.8

Guinea-Bissau 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

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

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GW
0.2t
BW
2.7t

Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
0.2
BW
4.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GW
1.5%
BW
2.4%

Guinea-Bissau generally does better on infrastructure, though Botswana leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GW
3.2%
BW
23.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GW
$2,400
BW
$17,500

Guinea-Bissau 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

GW
63.7 yrs
BW
65.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GW
49.0
BW
25.2

Botswana performs significantly better than Guinea-Bissau across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bissau Rain: 69.1 in/yr (1756 mm)
90° / 67°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bissau Gaborone
Jan–Mar 92°/67°F (33°/20°C) 88°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/66°F (33°/19°C) 77°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 87°/68°F (30°/20°C) 79°/47°F (26°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/69°F (32°/21°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
View all months
Month Bissau Gaborone
Jan 90°/67°F (32.0°/19.4°C) 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C)
Feb 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.0°C) 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C)
Mar 90°/63°F (32.1°/17.1°C) 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C)
Apr 92°/64°F (33.4°/17.7°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C)
May 91°/67°F (33.0°/19.3°C) 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C)
Jun 89°/68°F (31.4°/20.0°C) 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C)
Jul 88°/68°F (30.9°/20.1°C) 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (30.2°/20.2°C) 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C)
Sep 86°/67°F (30.0°/19.3°C) 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C)
Oct 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.5°C) 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C)
Nov 90°/69°F (32.2°/20.6°C) 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C)
Dec 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia da Guiné-Bissau, Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guinea-Bissau 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.

Guinea-Bissau passport

Guinea-Bissau passport holder visiting Botswana

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

Botswana passport holder visiting Guinea-Bissau

Visa on Arrival
Botswana passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau.

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 Guinea-Bissau and Botswana.

Is Botswana safe for expats?

Guinea-Bissau 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 1.1 in Guinea-Bissau.

How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Guinea-Bissau?

Guinea-Bissau 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 2.1 in Guinea-Bissau. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guinea-Bissau: 37).

What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Guinea-Bissau?

The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 90°F in Bissau. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Bissau gets 69.1 in.

What language do they speak in Botswana?

The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Guinea-Bissau, the official languages are Portuguese and Upper Guinea Creole.

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At a Glance

GW BW
Population 2,026,778 2,384,246
Currency CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA) Botswanan Pula (BWP)
Languages Portuguese, Upper Guinea Creole English, Tswana
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +245 +267
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999