Moving to Botswana from Iowa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Iowa to Botswana — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Iowa to Botswana. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Gaborone averages 83°F vs 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Iowa to Botswana, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Iowa and Botswana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Botswana performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa 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
Iowa performs better than Botswana across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa 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 | Des Moines | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°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?
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 Iowa and Botswana.
How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Iowa?
Botswana performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Iowa, the official language is English.
