Moving to Botswana from Illinois

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Illinois to Botswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Gaborone averages 83°F vs 63°F in Springfield, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Illinois to Botswana, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
920 ↑ 7% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Botswana · UN DESA

Who's moving to Botswana?

Top countries of origin for Botswana's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

IL
34.6%
BW
18.9%

Botswana performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

IL
89.6%
BW
74.0%

Illinois performs better than Botswana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
4.8%
BW
23.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$70,691
BW
$17,500

Illinois performs better than Botswana across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

IL
76.8 yrs
BW
65.6 yrs

Illinois 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.

Springfield Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
63° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Springfield Gaborone
Jan–Mar 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) 88°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) 77°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) 79°/47°F (26°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
View all months
Month Springfield Gaborone
Jan 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C)
Feb 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C)
Mar 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C)
Apr 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C)
May 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C)
Jun 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C)
Jul 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C)
Sep 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C)
Oct 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C)
Nov 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C)
Dec 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Botswana Meteorological Services 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

United States passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Botswana without a visa.
Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Botswana passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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?

Working remotely from Botswana's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Botswana.

How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Illinois?

Botswana performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Botswana?

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

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At a Glance

BW
Population 12,830,632 2,384,246
Currency United States Dollar ($) Botswanan Pula (BWP)
Languages English English, Tswana
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +267
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 999