Moving to Botswana from Malawi
What to Expect
Considering a move from Malawi to Botswana? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Malawi to Botswana.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Malawi to Botswana.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Botswana compared to Malawi.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Malawi generally does better on safety, though Botswana leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Malawi performs better than Botswana across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
Botswana performs significantly better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Malawi leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Botswana generally does better on family life, though Malawi leads in life expectancy.
Data: Malawi Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lilongwe | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/61°F (25°/16°C) | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/45°F (22°/7°C) | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/57°F (27°/14°C) | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lilongwe | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C) | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) |
| Feb | 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) |
| Mar | 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C) | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) |
| Apr | 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C) | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) |
| May | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) |
| Jun | 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C) | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) |
| Jul | 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C) | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) |
| Aug | 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C) | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) |
| Sep | 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C) | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C) | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) |
| Nov | 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C) | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C) | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) |
Data:
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services,
Botswana Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malawi 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.
Malawi passport holder visiting Botswana
Visa Free
Botswana passport holder visiting Malawi
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Botswana?
Connectivity is usually fine (Botswana: 4.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Botswana offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Botswana safe for expats?
Malawi 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 Malawi.
How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Malawi?
Malawi 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 0.5 in Malawi. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malawi: 48).
What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Malawi?
The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 75°F in Lilongwe. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lilongwe gets 50.7 in.
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Malawi, the official languages are Chewa and English.
