Moving to Botswana from Samoa

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Samoa to Botswana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Samoa to Botswana.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Samoa to Botswana.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
6.2
BW
10.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

WS
9.6
BW
16.5

Samoa performs better than Botswana across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

WS
$474
BW
$1,310
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

WS
5.5
BW
3.8

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

WS
34.0
BW
55.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

WS
1.6t
BW
2.7t

Samoa performs better than Botswana across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

WS
0.8
BW
4.2
Internet access The World Factbook, 2021

share of households with internet

WS
78.0%
BW
74.0%

Samoa 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

WS
9.8%
BW
23.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

WS
$6,000
BW
$17,500

Botswana generally does better on employment & economy, though Samoa leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

WS
75.2 yrs
BW
65.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

WS
17.0
BW
25.2

Samoa generally does better on family life, though Botswana leads in education spending.

Data: Ministry of Revenue, Samoa, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Apia Rain: 116.7 in/yr (2965 mm)
86° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Apia Gaborone
Jan–Mar 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) 88°/66°F (31°/19°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) 77°/48°F (25°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) 79°/47°F (26°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
View all months
Month Apia Gaborone
Jan 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C)
Mar 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C)
Apr 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C)
May 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C)
Jun 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C)
Jul 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C)
Aug 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C)
Sep 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C)
Oct 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C)
Nov 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C)
Dec 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C)

Data: Botswana Meteorological Services Botswana Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa 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.

Samoa passport

Samoa passport holder visiting Botswana

Visa Free
Samoa passport holders can enter Botswana without a visa.
Botswana passport

Botswana passport holder visiting Samoa

Visa on Arrival
Botswana passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Samoa.

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Botswana has 4.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Botswana safe for expats?

Samoa performs better than Botswana across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Botswana is 10.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.

How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Samoa?

Samoa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in adult obesity rate. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Botswana, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.

What language do they speak in Botswana?

The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.

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At a Glance

WS BW
Population 206,179 2,384,246
Currency Samoan Tala (WST) Botswanan Pula (BWP)
Languages English, Samoan English, Tswana
Driving side Left Left
Calling code +685 +267
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999