Moving to Botswana from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zimbabwe to Botswana? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Botswana.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Zimbabwe to Botswana.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Botswana compared to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Zimbabwe 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
Zimbabwe 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
Zimbabwe 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
Botswana performs significantly better than Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe leads in literacy rate.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 88°/66°F (31°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 77°/48°F (25°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 79°/47°F (26°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Gaborone |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 90°/67°F (32.5°/19.4°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 89°/67°F (31.5°/19.3°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 86°/63°F (30.2°/17.4°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.4°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 78°/47°F (25.4°/8.3°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 72°/40°F (22.5°/4.6°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 73°/40°F (22.8°/4.6°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 78°/46°F (25.7°/7.6°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 85°/54°F (29.6°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 88°/61°F (31.0°/16.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 89°/64°F (31.5°/17.9°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 90°/66°F (32.3°/18.8°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
Botswana Meteorological Services
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe 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.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Botswana
Visa Free
Botswana passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
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?
Zimbabwe 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 6.7 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Botswana compared to Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe 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 1.7 in Zimbabwe. Botswana scores 55 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Botswana compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Gaborone is 83°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Gaborone receives around 21.7 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Botswana?
The official languages in Botswana are English and Tswana. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.
Compare further: Zimbabwe vs. Botswana
At a Glance
ZW
|
BW
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,121,004 | 2,384,246 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Botswanan Pula (BWP) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | English, Tswana |
| Driving side | Left | Left |
| Calling code | +263 | +267 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 999 |