Moving to Botswana from Swaziland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Swaziland to Botswana? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Swaziland to Botswana. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Gaborone averages 83°F vs 72°F in Lobamba, making it significantly warmer.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Swaziland to Botswana.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Botswana compared to Swaziland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Botswana performs significantly better than Swaziland across all safety metrics.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Swaziland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Swaziland generally does better on environment, though Botswana leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Botswana performs significantly better than Swaziland 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
share of people below the poverty line
Botswana performs significantly better than Swaziland across all employment & economy metrics.
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 performs significantly better than Swaziland across all family life metrics.
Data: Swaziland 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 | Lobamba | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 76°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/46°F (21°/8°C) | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 71°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lobamba | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77°/59°F (24.9°/14.9°C) | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) |
| Feb | 76°/58°F (24.5°/14.5°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) |
| Mar | 75°/56°F (24.1°/13.4°C) | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) |
| Apr | 73°/52°F (22.6°/11.0°C) | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) |
| May | 71°/46°F (21.4°/7.9°C) | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) |
| Jun | 67°/40°F (19.3°/4.7°C) | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) |
| Jul | 68°/40°F (19.8°/4.6°C) | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) |
| Aug | 70°/44°F (21.3°/6.6°C) | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) |
| Sep | 74°/49°F (23.2°/9.5°C) | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 73°/52°F (22.8°/11.3°C) | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) |
| Nov | 72°/55°F (22.5°/12.9°C) | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) |
Data:
Eswatini Meteorological Service,
Botswana Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Swaziland 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.
Swaziland passport holder visiting Botswana
Visa Free
Botswana passport holder visiting Swaziland
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?
Botswana performs significantly better than Swaziland across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Botswana is 10.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.7 in Swaziland.
How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Swaziland?
Swaziland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Botswana leads in suicide rate. There are 3.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Botswana, compared to 15.9 in Swaziland. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Swaziland: 56).
What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Swaziland?
The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 72°F in Lobamba. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lobamba gets 56.8 in.
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Swaziland, the official languages are English and Swazi.
