Moving to Lesotho from United States

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Lesotho — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from United States to Lesotho. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from United States to Lesotho, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
163 ↑ 31% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Lesotho · UN DESA

Who's moving to Lesotho?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How United States and Lesotho stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

US
6.4
LS
37.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

US
14.2
LS
21.6

United States performs better than Lesotho across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

US
$13,473
LS
$386
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

US
36.1
LS
1.5

United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

US
14.0
LS
100.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

US
13.6t
LS
0.4t

United States generally does better on environment, though Lesotho leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

US
37.8
LS
0.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

US
28.2%
LS
2.6%

United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Lesotho leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

US
3.6%
LS
16.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

US
$73,600
LS
$2,500

United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Lesotho leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

US
80.6 yrs
LS
59.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

US
5.2
LS
48.4

United States generally does better on family life, though Lesotho leads in education spending.

Data: Internal Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Washington Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
66° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Maseru Rain: 25.3 in/yr (642 mm)
74° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Washington Maseru
Jan–Mar 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) 81°/57°F (27°/14°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 67°/39°F (20°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) 68°/37°F (20°/3°C)
Oct–Dec 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) 79°/53°F (26°/12°C)
View all months
Month Washington Maseru
Jan 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) 84°/59°F (28.7°/14.8°C)
Feb 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) 82°/58°F (27.6°/14.6°C)
Mar 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) 78°/54°F (25.7°/12.5°C)
Apr 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C)
May 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) 67°/39°F (19.7°/3.7°C)
Jun 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) 62°/32°F (16.7°/0.2°C)
Jul 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) 62°/31°F (16.9°/-0.5°C)
Aug 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) 67°/36°F (19.7°/2.4°C)
Sep 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) 74°/44°F (23.3°/6.9°C)
Oct 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) 77°/50°F (24.8°/10.1°C)
Nov 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) 79°/53°F (26.3°/11.9°C)
Dec 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) 82°/56°F (27.9°/13.4°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Lesotho. To live, work, or study long-term in Lesotho, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Lesotho's immigration authority.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Lesotho

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

Lesotho passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Lesotho 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 Lesotho?

With 0.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Lesotho can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Lesotho.

Is Lesotho safe for expats?

United States performs better than Lesotho across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Lesotho is 37.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.4 in United States.

How is healthcare in Lesotho compared to United States?

United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Lesotho leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Lesotho, compared to 36.1 in United States. Lesotho scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).

What's the weather like in Lesotho compared to United States?

The average high temperature in Maseru is 74°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Maseru receives around 25.3 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.

What language do they speak in Lesotho?

The official languages in Lesotho are English and Sotho. In United States, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

US LS
Population 337,341,954 2,193,970
Currency United States Dollar ($) Lesotho Loti (LSL)
Languages English English, Sotho
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +1 +266
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911